A/N: Another chapter.
Thanks heaps to everyone who has read and reviwed so far, and constant love for my beta TheCagey, who has continued to do an amazing job. Thanks so much. *bobs head*
I'm still a few chaps ahead, but writing has slowed. Shake your fists at me!
But we're still working on writing and beta reading when we can. Thanks for your patience.
Steve stared at the pan in front of him, his mind turbulent as the bacon crackled before him. He'd woken up feeling more refreshed than he had in only God knows how long, cherishing that small moment of comfort, before realising his housemates were likely not feeling as chipper. He'd stretched and walked to the kitchen, and started preparing a banquet for the lot of them, and it was as he began frying the bacon that his brain had stalled, a realisation sinking in. His usual morning fogginess had neglected to remind him that Tony Stark had slept in his bed last night. Steve woke up without him there (he'd somehow expected that would be the case), but it hadn't stopped the case being that Tony had slept in his bed. Whilst Steve was in it. And, strictly coincidentally (as Steve kept telling himself), it had gone hand in hand with the best sleep Steve could ever recall having. Total coincidence of course.
"Staring at it won't make it cook any quicker," A voice interrupted Steve's musings, as the captain looked up to see Bruce amble into the kitchen. Steve said nothing, instead opting to flip the bacon and watch it cook a little more.
"Something on your mind?" Bruce asked, heading to the cupboard and raiding it for aspirin, before fumbling in the fridge for a drink. Steve recognised a hangover when he saw one, and tossed a stack of bacon onto a waiting plate, holding it out for the very grateful scientist.
"Strange night," Steve said vaguely, tossing more bacon into the frying pan, as Bruce pulled up a chair at the bench and rested his head in one of his palms, leaning on his elbow.
"So what did he do?" Bruce asked casually, and Steve felt his cheeks flush, Bruce shrugging matter-of-factly, "Nobody drinks with Tony Stark without some kind of story to tell afterwards."
"I resent that being said in a negative tone."
Steve felt his cheeks flush even further, as Tony entered the kitchen, ducking around Bruce's watchful gaze and stealing a bit of bacon, sunglasses perched on his nose as he chewed languidly.
"Yeesh, lower the lights would you, Jarvis?" He muttered, and then decided to also claim ownership of Bruce's bottle of water.
"There are no lights currently on, sir, unless you're asking me to dim the sun..." The AI replied drily, as Tony slammed back the bottle, Bruce looking on with his same frown of patient annoyance.
"I bunked with the Cap, as for some reason unbeknownst to me, I could not make it to my own quarters," Tony said airily, waving another strip of bacon around, "One of those mysteries of life."
Bruce didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed by this, and Steve relaxed a little. Maybe he had been looking too far into it, for no reason other than sheer paranoia. He piled some bacon on a second plate and placed it in front of Tony, scraping a few strips off of the billionaire's plate and onto Bruce's.
"Either way, maybe stick to your own quarters next time," Steve muttered, chancing a glance up at Tony, and the billionaire lowered his shades just in time to meet the Captain's gaze full on.
"Not as fun. Besides, you're super cuddly," Tony offered a lazy smirk, and Steve frowned, bristling slightly. He was about to kick up a retort, before Tony's attention was ripped from Steve when Bruce tapped him on the nose with a particularly crisp piece of bacon.
"I can't handle you two bickering. Not today. Not this early," Bruce said simply, not even bothering to look up from the paper he'd collected from the table. Tony wrinkled his nose and offered a stony stare in Bruce's direction, before plucking the bacon from his tormenter's finger tips and chewing it as noisily as he could. Bruce, still not looking up from the paper, quirked a brow, and Tony took this as his queue to leave.
"Thanks for the grub. You'll make one hell of a wife someday," Tony clapped Steve on the shoulder in appreciation, before heading back out of the room as quickly as he had whirled into it.
Steve remained silent, cooking more bacon as he heard the unmistakable sound of Thor thumping around upstairs. He hadn't been able to fight with his team, but he'd been pleased to find himself of some kind of use domestically, managing to operate the kitchen appliances without Jarvis' aid after a few attempts. Steve had gotten better at most things around the house, and was even adjusting to the modern world as it was now. Many things still confused him, but he was adapting quicker than even he would have thought possible. Some things, however, still stuck as fast as they did when they first pulled him back onto the field.
"You're stomping almost as much as our Asgardian friend," Bruce remarked, finally looking up from his paper and catching Steve mid scowl. Steve almost made to hide it, before he gave out a frustrated sigh in defeat. Surely Bruce wouldn't be prompting for some kind of response if he didn't want to hear Steve let off a little steam?
"Does he become any easier to understand?"
Bruce chuckled very briefly at this.
"To an extent. Once you 'get' one aspect of him, you kind of 'get' the whole package," Bruce shrugged, lowering his paper, "He's a very interesting character, but he's not a bad one."
Steve turned back to the bacon briefly, stabbing it angrily with a fish slice, before rounding back on Bruce.
"I don't appreciate him condescending me," Steve said, "I wonder if we're on the same team at times."
"If you weren't, he'd not have volunteered to keep watch over you after your little accident," Bruce spoke softly, calmly, and Steve found himself lulled slightly by the man's demeanour. That is, until confusion shot through him.
"Volunteered?" He prompted, "Stark said he'd been ordered to stay back, because of some issues with the suit."
Bruce's eyebrows rose just slightly at this, before returning to normal.
"Maybe for the first couple of days, but not after that, no," Bruce let a slow smile creep along his face, "But of course he'd not admit to that. Heaven forbid you knew he actually has a heart and all those glowy lights aren't just for show."
Not for the first time, Steve felt a bubble of guilt swell up with how bristled he was towards Tony a majority of the time they were together. No matter what facade Tony put up, at the very base of it all, he was a good man. He just didn't like people knowing that, and Steve was determined to figure out why.
The rest of the team filtered in and out throughout the morning, taking greasy morsels with them as they did so, each nursing a hangover, and in Thor's and Bruce's case, several stories. The pair had gone out drinking into the early hours of the morning, with the resolution to continue bar hopping until one of them passed out. Bruce had been the first to hit the deck at a nightclub downtown, and Thor had carried him home slung over his shoulder.
"He drinks like a true Asgardian!" Thor beamed, clapping Bruce over the shoulder with apparent fondness, even as Bruce wobbled on his stool at the bench and offered a somewhat embarrassed smile.
Once everyone had eaten and Bruce had politely excused himself to go to his lab, Steve nodded determinedly and headed for Tony's workshop. He'd stood awkwardly at the door and cleared his throat, before Jarvis had addressed him.
"Mister Stark is currently working on a project, Captain. Would you like me to pass on a message?"
"Uh... yes," Steve nodded, slightly uncomfortable with leaving messages for Tony with a robot, "Just uh, let him know that I know he volunteered. That is, that it wasn't just the suit that kept him back and I just wanted..."
Steve ran a hand through his hair and struggled for the words. It shouldn't have been that difficult, realistically. He'd come to thank the man, and that was what he ought to do. Yet, it didn't seem enough. A part of Steve wondered then if it ever would.
"I wanted to thank him."
There was a brief pause then, and just as Steve turned to leave, the door slid open. He hesitated, before awkwardly walking through the doorway. He looked around briefly, and spotted Tony's legs sticking out from beneath a car, as Dummy whistled around with a spanner. Steve could hear the billionaire cursing under his breath as Dummy lowered his mechanical arm and handed him said spanner, before it was immediately placed back in the robot's grip.
"I know they say size doesn't matter," Tony sighed, "But sometimes it really does. Strike two, Dummy. I need the next size up. Strike three and you're an exhibit at some elementary school science fair."
Dummy dipped his arm and made a low whistle, seemingly defeated. Steve held out a hand and Dummy perked up, handing the tool over, as Steve silently moved to the nearest toolbox and grabbed the spanner Tony was after. Steve stooped and held the spanner out, as Tony took it from his grasp.
"Hallelujah. Dummy survives another day," he muttered, amused affection clear in his tone.
"I suppose I've been called worse," Steve said drily, as Tony jumped, a loud 'clunk' and a hissed expletive indicating that he had injured himself in the process. He then wheeled himself out from under the vehicle, an eye clenched closed, a mixture of grease and now blood at risk of falling into his eye.
"Shit, Rogers, you're like a freaking ghost," He scowled, as Steve grabbed a clean cloth nearby and handed it over.
"I hadn't meant to startle you. I apologise," Steve said sincerely, as Tony wiped the grime and blood from his face, dabbing at the newly formed cut, "You should probably clean that."
"Well up until a minute ago, the grease was the worst of my concerns," He said drily, with a heavily emphasised sigh, "I suppose that's it for now."
Tony stood then, and moved to one of the sinks along the wall, washing his hands and then roughly scrubbing at his face.
"Will I live?" He said melodramatically, as Steve bit back a sigh, inspecting the wound. He reached out and gently pressed a finger beside the wound, seeing if the skin had shifted enough for stitches, and Tony winced noticeably.
"Unfortunately so, yes..." Steve offered drily, and Tony waved him away with a 'pssh'.
"So apart from providing the sadistic glee you get from injuring me, what else can I do for you?"
Steve took a moment to look around the workshop, delaying the inevitable. He had always believed he should give thanks when thanks were due; it was how he was raised. However, he had never been all that good at dealing with Tony overall, as his track record would clearly display, should he create one for all of their encounters.
Steve let his eyes roam over the workshop. He was always impressed with the things that Tony was seemingly able to procure out of thin air, and he took a moment to appreciate that Tony had seemingly been working on upgrades to the Iron Man suit, as well as general tinkering with his vehicles. There were also other bits and pieces scattered around the workshop; weapons with the SHIELD logo, outfits that looked familiar and yet strangely different all at the same time. There was also an assortment of... shields. Different shapes, different sizes, different materials. It was all so oddly familiar that Steve felt a lump rise in his throat.
"What's all... this?" Steve asked, gesturing at the various bits and pieces.
"Just trialling a few different things for the team," Tony shrugged nonchalantly, "But trust me, I'm well aware you're sticking to your shield, gramps."
"When I first started getting into the swing of battle, really becoming... Captain America... Your father," Steve began, but stopped immediately. He sometimes forgot it was not wise to mention Howard Stark in Tony's presence. Tony, however, was watching Steve curiously.
"Nono, please, finish," He said, no anger or bitterness along his features. Steve hesitated, but Tony wasn't budging, so he pressed on.
"Howard, he had a few prototypes just like this. We were tucked away in a secluded base, and he had them laid out on a bench, kind of like this. I pretty much ignored every one of them that he showed me, and went straight for the rounded one. He wasn't overly..." Steve paused, offering a small, nostalgic smile, "He wasn't thrilled, but it did what it was meant to do."
Tony crossed his arms across his chest and leant back against the bench, one corner of his lips licking up into a half smile, as he offered a small 'hmph'. Steve offered a puzzled expression, and Tony held his gaze as he spoke.
"It's nice to hear those kinds of stories."
"About... your father?"
"About you," Tony said in all seriousness, "The stories that make you get that starry eyed nostalgia look about you, not the look as if you're chasing ghosts."
It was silent for a few moments, as Steve let the statement sink in with an awkward sense of truth, turning away from Tony as he did so.
"Sometimes it feels like that's all I do," Steve admitted quietly.
"Then don't."
Steve turned back to meet Tony's gaze, and the billionaire shrugged, gaze not wavering.
"I've seen the way you can instil confidence in others, Spangles. Maybe you need to start working some of that magic on yourself."
Steve furrowed his brows slightly, another habit he seemed to have developed whenever Tony was around.
"Let me ask you something, one on one," Tony began, and Steve forced his gaze to continue holding the man's before him. Tony had that determined fire burning in his eyes, the one he got when he was really focused, or close to discovering something new in a project, and that on its own made Steve dread whatever question Stark was about to throw at him. Tony was a hard man to lie to.
"Do you ever think about the good shit? Reflect on it in a positive way? Share it with people?" Tony asked, and Steve felt his heart sink a little, "Cause in this day and age there's no harm in sharing parts of your life with a friend. Not sure if it was like that back in the day, but it's pretty widely accepted now."
"Right, a friend..."
So, even with everything that Tony had said and done, he really did consider Steve a friend. Steve felt a little constricted all of a sudden. In the here and now, in the world that Steve had been brought into; he knew he had partnerships, a brotherhood, team mates, but he had never been called someone's friend.
Steve opened his mouth, but Tony gave an amused smirk and shook his head.
"I already know the answer," He said matter-of-factly, wiping more grease off of his hands and face and heading for the door, "We'll head out in fifteen. I'll need a shower."
Steve blinked, not bothering to hide his puzzlement.
"What? Where are we going?" He asked, following Tony as his team mate left the workshop.
"I could kill for a cheeseburger. You do eat cheeseburgers, right?" Tony asked, "Otherwise I'm not sure this whole friendship thing is going to work out for me. Jarvis, have the Jag ready to go. Do not let Dummy touch the tires this time."
"Yes, sir," Jarvis drawled, "Shall I notify Director Fury of your intentions?"
"Jarvis, I thought I raised you smarter than that," Tony feigned shock, and the AI gave no response. Steve sometimes wondered if this was something that Jarvis had learnt to do when working for Tony, or whether it had been programmed in. Regardless, he could almost imagine the AI rolling its eyes.
He could often relate.
Tony was being exactly the kind of friend that Steve hadn't realised he needed until it was placed right in front of him. They casually ate their burgers, (or as casually as they could with the attention they were attracting from the other restaurant patrons) and Tony chattered away, occasionally pausing to wipe ketchup from his goatee, or letting Steve have his two cents. Every now and then, Tony would say something mildly insulting or derogatory, and Steve would give him a brief, disapproving frown. Rather than it being a mood spoiler, however, it had somehow become an almost familiar, comforting gesture between the pair. Tony sometimes stepped over the line and seemed to appreciate someone pulling him back in. Steve would sometimes miss the reference, and Tony seemed to have no problem with filling him in. It was becoming a learning experience for the both of them.
Tony didn't push too hard for information, but Steve found that the more he relaxed in Tony's company, the less his team mate had to push. He found that casual conversation was something he'd neglected to indulge in for far too long, and truthfully, it had been a long time since he'd felt confident enough to do so. The world had changed so much that, despite his best efforts, Steve often felt on edge. He never really knew what to expect from his surroundings. Yet, with Tony, with having a friend, things felt a little more familiar. There was a little more stability, and it put Steve's mind a tad more at ease.
"So what did you used to do to kill some time before becoming a full time super hero?" Tony asked, just after swallowing an impossibly large bite of his burger, "The usual old timey stuff? Whacking hoops with sticks?"
Steve allowed himself a small smile at this. Sometimes, Tony really didn't get it.
"Listened to the radio, would catch the news reels at the cinema, catch a film, catch a ball game, head to the fair or what not," Steve shrugged, picking a handful of fries off of his plate, "The usual kinds of things."
"Yeah?" Tony seemed intrigued, also taking a handful of fries from Steve's plate as the captain frowned disapprovingly.
"You seem surprised."
"I pinned you as the type to casually stroll through museums or art galleries, maybe host dinner parties, or sit around with a few friends and discuss some riveting political stuff," Tony said, a teasing glint in his eyes, "I didn't think it would be, you know..."
"Wouldn't be what?" Steve pressed, and the billionaire gave a lazy grin.
"I don't want to drop the F bomb in polite company, Steve, but it sounds like you were kind of... fun."
Steve rolled his eyes and finished the remains of his burger, before choosing to even justify that remark with a response. He opened his mouth to speak, but just as he did so, Tony's phone began ringing shrilly. It was Tony's turn to roll his eyes at this, briefly pulling his phone from his pocket, checking the screen, and shoving it back into his pants to continue ringing. Steve raised a questioning brow and Tony stretched languidly, placing his hands behind his head as he did so.
"Fury," He said by way of explanation, and Steve floundered briefly.
"Tony," He began, not managing to mask the frustration in his voice fully.
"If it's important, he'll leave a voicemail," Tony shrugged, just as Steve's own phone began ringing shrilly, "Or, you know, call you immediately after. There's that, too."
Steve pulled the phone from his pocket and confirmed that it was indeed Nick Fury's name on the screen, before pressing the answer button and awkwardly holding the device to his ear. He still hadn't quite adjusted to portable phones.
"Director Fury?" Steve prompted.
"Captain. I take it Mister Stark is with you?"
Steve watched as Tony picked at the last of the captain's fries, the billionaire leaning on an elbow casually and shaking his head, mouthing 'I'm not here'.
"Yes, he's here."
Steve bit back a smirk, as Tony slumped on the table and let out a frustrated groan.
"We need you both back at the tower. I'll brief the both of you when you get here."
"Yes sir."
"And Captain?"
"Yes sir?"
"Don't let Stark stall for time."
Steve smiled, as Fury hung up the phone, and Tony raised his head from the table's surface to throw a glower in his direction.
"You're a terrible human being," Tony said simply, standing and pulling out his wallet as he did so. Steve stood after him, watching as the restaurant staff beamed at the playboy, who was throwing the charm on full force at one of the waitresses. He slipped her a twenty dollar bill as a tip, and she blushed furiously as Tony winked, before paying for their bill and leaving.
"Does that always work?" Steve asked curiously, referring to Tony's near blinding charm.
"Almost."
"How is it that easy for you?" Steve let out a small laugh, "I had issues even offering a girl a treat, let alone getting them to faun over me like that."
Tony frowned very briefly, and if Steve hadn't been watching him whilst waiting for an answer, he'd have missed it completely.
"It's not always easy. Some people are harder to win over than others." Tony opened the car door and let himself in, Steve sitting beside him on the passenger side.
"You'll have to give me a few tips sometime," Steve chanced a cheeky smile, sensing something about Tony's mood had changed and hoping to maybe perk his newly found friend up. Tony's eyes widened briefly as he met Steve's gaze, before turning forward as he started the car. He gave a small laugh then, and shook his head.
"Captain America asking me for advice on getting the ladies. Unbelievable."
Steve ran a hand through his hair, smiling awkwardly, his cheek flushing slightly. He had noticed that ever since the serum, girls' attentions hadn't been anywhere near as difficult to snare. Tony possibly had a point.
"See?" Tony said, as they drove in the direction of the tower, his eyes flicking to Steve a few times as he spoke, "You have plenty of charm, you just don't realise you're flashing it. Girls go crazy for that kind of thing. The awkward, attractive, nice guy kind of thing. I could never pull it off."
"Maybe you're not trying hard enough?" Steve jokingly suggested, and Tony nodded.
"Probably."
As Tony drummed his fingers aimlessly against the steering wheel and hummed to the beat of whatever song was on the radio, Steve decided it was probably best to leave the conversation there, before either of them embarrassed themselves further.
They'd packed their bags as soon as Fury had finished his briefing, and they were off for a second attempt at making it to the outback of Australia. Despite Tony's best arguments, Fury had won this round, and they flew by a cloaked SHIELD aircraft. When he hadn't been sleeping, Tony had complained throughout the entire flight over. Thankfully, they'd landed and managed to make it to a secluded base that SHIELD had set up in an old mining town without a single issue. Fury had given them a local SHIELD agent as a guide of sorts, to ensure they were as aware of their surroundings as was necessary, and she had explained that most houses, let alone their base, were kept underground to avoid the harsh heat. Steve found the idea of staying underground a little bizarre and somewhat claustrophobic, and Bruce wasn't handling the idea too much better.
"Cause this can only end well..." Bruce had said under his breath, as they placed their bags on the available bunks.
"Says here it's an old mining town. For opals, of all things," Tony seemed slightly amused as he read over a brochure he'd picked up at the gas station just outside of town.
"Coober Pedy is the opal mining capital of the world, sir," Their assigned SHIELD agent chipped in with her heavily laced Australian accent, and Tony leered at her openly. Steve had noticed that Tony had taken an interest in the young agent, and had made no effort to hide that fact each time she spoke to him.
"Well, how 'bout that?" He offered a lazy smile and an intense gaze, causing the agent to blush slightly, and Bruce tugged on the back of Tony's collar.
"Down boy..." The doctor muttered, dragging Tony outside, discussing various minerals that may be readily available in their new environment. Steve shook his head and apologised to their guide, before moving further into their living quarters. It was decidedly cooler inside than it was outside, and Steve began to understand the merit of underground housing in such harsh conditions.
"I would kill for a beer right now," Clint muttered, lounged out on his chosen bunk, as Natasha let out a huff of air on the one above him. The change of seasons within the space of a plane trip had thrown them all a little, but the SHIELD agents seemed to have taken it the hardest.
"FOR THE LOVE OF ODIN, WHAT BEAST AFRONTS ME?!" Steve heard a bellow from a little further within the base, and both he and Clint were up and running without a second thought. Within a few moments, they had located Thor, backed up against a wall and staring at the one opposite him. Clint snorted, and Steve bit back a smile of his own.
"It's a spider, Thor," Steve said as calmly as he could muster, with the demigod looking as childishly fear struck as he was.
"I have seen spiders before, my friend, but that!" Thor gestured at the offending arachnid with his hammer, "That is no spider. That is a beast spawned from Helheim itself!"
Their SHIELD guide approached the situation and gave a small shudder at the CD sized creature, before offering a calm smile.
"That's a Huntsman, sir. They're harmless, despite appearances," She explained, "They only really bite when provoked, and even then, they're not poisonous."
"Remove it from my quarters!" Thor cried, and Clint quirked a brow, rolling up the town map he had been fanning himself with, and swatting the spider with a brutal efficiency. The Huntsman died near instantly, and curled up as it hit the ground. Thor cautiously stepped from the wall he had pressed himself against and looked down at the carcass, offering a small, almost victorious smile.
"You'd have thought with everything you've fought back in Asgard, you'd be okay with a little spider," Clint said drily, brow still quirked, and Thor pointed at him with his hammer.
"I have spent my childhood learning of the beasts of Asgard and fighting them at will. I know them better than some of my own people!" Thor then pointed Mjolnir at the dead spider and narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "But these.. These men of hunting? There was never any word spoken of such... beasts."
Clint and Steve exchanged amused yet patient looks with each other, before Clint clapped Thor on the shoulder and shook him a little.
"You'll be alright, big guy," Clint reassured, before heading back to his own bunk. Steve heard Natasha's burst of laughter shortly after, and assumed Clint had informed her of what had occurred.
Thor gave him a sheepish smile, and Steve also clapped the god on the shoulder, before Thor eased himself to sit on his own bunk, still visibly rattled.
Between Tony's constant flirting with their guide, the near unbearable heat, and Thor's newly discovered fear of spiders, Steve had a feeling this would be the longest mission of his life.
Acidity was close. The team had been travelling through the outback terrain for over two hours in the vehicles provided with Tony scouting overhead, and Steve had been thoroughly impressed to see that Tony had indeed done a fantastic job with modifying the suit, as it now had a similar cloaking method to SHIELD's. The only way he knew where Tony was, was by the faint vapour trails coming out from behind him, and the commentary coming through his earpiece.
"Just coming over this ridge, something's a little off about that mine entrance. Looks like the ground outside one of the entrances has been disturbed recently."
"Any other signs of life?" Steve asked, and there was a brief pause before Tony spoke again.
"Looks like there might be some people coming up out of one of the shafts. Not sure if they've noticed me y-"
The team was on sudden alert then, as a crackle rippled across the comms. line and Tony fell silent, the unmistakable sound of gunfire ringing through the air.
"Tony?" Steve urged through the comms. line. Clint floored it then, and they all but vaulted over the ridge that they'd been steadily climbing. Steve scanned the sky for vapour trails, but couldn't see any, and he felt his chest constrict oddly.
"Tony!" He urged, before there was a brief crackle.
"Sorry, just, you know... trying to survive. Yeah, they definitely know we're here."
Steve let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, and watched as the individuals coming up the mineshaft continued to fire shots into the sky.
"Shit."
It was on that expletive that Steve saw Tony's cloaking drop, and the Iron Man suit spin a little recklessly through the air.
"We need to get in there," Steve said firmly, as Clint stopped the car, the team clambering out and heading for the battle.
Bruce hulked almost immediately, and Thor was up and in the skies within moments, the heavens darkening with a frightening speed. Steve raised his shield as a stray blast from Tony was deflected by one of the Acidity agents, shortly followed by a blast that was aimed directly for him from one of their own weapons. He pressed forward and threw his shield, knocking out the nearest offender and having it rebound back to him in a heartbeat. Steve felt unsettled. The Avengers were a force to be reckoned with right now and yet they were up against seemingly regular men. He wasn't sure what they were meant to be expecting. SHIELD always had their secrets, and he entertained the fact that if they really were needed here, then the worst was yet to come. He'd yet to see any further proof of just how Acidity were making SHIELD agents just up and disappear, and certainly hadn't come across anything too out of the ordinary, aside from their blast guns.
"You ever think these guys are a little... tame?" Tony queried, as the Iron Man suit fired off a few missiles, the following explosion almost knocking Steve off his feet. He stood back upright just as Tony landed, the billionaire playing a now familiar card of aiming his lasers at Steve's shield. The captain then turned it, using it as a reflecting device and disabling several more enemies, before Steve threw his shield to knock out an attacker just behind Tony, and Tony fired a few shots from his shoulders to do the same for Steve. The pair of them paused briefly, almost surprised with their teamwork, as Steve buzzed with adrenaline.
"Thanks," He threw a quick smile Tony's way, before Iron Man gave a salute and took to the skies once more.
The entire team was moving like clockwork, attacks co-ordinated and fluid, working together to knock down what seemed to be a continuing stream of enemy soldiers. As well as that, Acidity seemed to have a special force made up of attacking vehicles that were swarming from nowhere, along with an aerial force. Steve's stomach sank a little as he recognised one of the aircraft as being similar to the one that ripped Tony's from the air, and it seemed Tony recognised this fact as well, as he made a bee line directly for it.
"Tony, don't do anything stupid," Steve warned, and he didn't find the billionaire's snorted reply to be very reassuring. Steve watched as Tony fired several rockets at the aircraft, before completely disabling his thrusters. Steve's breath caught in his throat as he watched his team mate free fall from the sky.
"Tony, are you crazy?!" Steve heard Natasha through their communications line, though he couldn't see her amidst the chaos. The rockets Tony had fired then hit their mark, and a shockwave rippled through the air. Tony had just managed to fall out of its reach, largely thanks to his lack of thrust, before he kicked them back in and shot off into the air once more. Steve let out another held breath and realised then and there that there was no doubt in his mind; Tony Stark would be the death of him.
Tony managed to bring two aircraft down with that particular stunt, and the hulk demolished the land vehicle forces with little difficulty and large amounts of enthusiasm. Thor wiped out the remaining aircraft whilst he was at it, although Tony was the first to realise that some of them were actually lightning proof. Acidity had thought ahead. Steve slugged on, side by side with Clint and Natasha, as the three of them took out the other forces on foot. The captain was reminded of standing atop an ant hill; no matter how many soldiers they took out, they kept on coming. Even after Tony had destroyed the initial mine entrance they'd discovered, the soldiers kept on rushing over the hills, and they seemed to be getting progressively stronger. Steve's thoughts were interrupted then, as the ground gave a violent rumble and shake, and the Avengers threw alarmed expressions to one another, the hulk letting out a roar of confusion.
"Collapsing mineshafts?" Clint asked, firing an arrow into an approaching soldier, as Tony let out an expletive from above them.
"What in the name of Odin..?" Thor's voice also came over communications, as Steve felt his heart rate quicken. This was the finale, whatever this was.
"What's going on, Stark?" Natasha prompted, firing shots into the throng of attackers from a gun she had snared from one of their attackers.
"Can't tell you that with complete confidence, Agent Romanov," Tony said distantly, and that on its own raised concern within the team, "But it's big and it is not happy to see us."
"Fantastic," Clint said drily, "That is always a reassuring thing to hear."
A deafening roar rang out then, as not only the Avengers, but also their attackers were momentarily paralysed, covering their ears. Steve turned to where the noise had come from, and watched on in horror as a shadow fell across them.
The beast must have been at least fifteen stories tall, almost dog like in appearance, but with a large set of ram-like horns atop its head.
"What... the fuck... is that?" Clint faltered, as the beast's claws curled around the ledge, Steve's mind jolting just enough for cognitive thought to filter through.
"It's gonna jump!" He warned, as he made a mad dash for it. Clint had been frozen stiff, and Natasha had faltered, contemplating turning back for him, before Steve pulled her away. They managed to dive roll just as the beast landed on the level terrain, letting out another deafening roar. Steve looked back, just to see Tony swoop in and pull Clint out of the way of one of the beast's giant paws, the pair of them landing and rolling along the sand beside Steve, Clint seemingly slightly winded. Tony flicked his helmet up, and Steve saw something he couldn't recall ever seeing on Tony's face. Fear. Tony met his gaze then, and Steve realised he must have had the same expression, cause Tony gave him a reassuring nod. Steve returned it, before pulling himself up and picking his shield up from the sand. Most of the ground forces had been depleted, finally, and Steve took some small relief from this. They would need all they had to bring the... whatever it was... down.
"I'm getting way too old for this shit," Tony murmured, before standing and flicking his mask down. Natasha and Clint stood as well, seemingly waiting for Steve's word.
"I'll need you to scout for me, Tony," Steve nodded in Tony's direction, who gave an understanding nod, "I want to know if it seems to have any vulnerabilities, I want to know size, I want to know surroundings, I want to know anything you can get from it."
"Yes Cap'n. You wanna give me a power boost, pikachu?"
Whether or not Thor understood the reference, because Steve sure as hell didn't, he caught the 'power boost' part of it and sent a few thousand volts straight for Tony. The billionaire stumbled slightly, before straightening and making a gesture of cracking his fingers in the suit.
"Let's play."
With that, Tony was off, leaving Steve to turn to the others. He didn't even get a chance to open his mouth before the hulk was off and running, and he supposed that not knowing the current situation quite that well enough, there was little else Steve would have told him to do anyway.
"Hawkeye, how sharp are those eyes of yours?" Steve asked, and Clint merely gave a lopsided smirk in response. Steve nodded, pointing at a ridge behind them.
"I want you up there, and I want you firing at the last straggling foot soldiers. We'll need backup as we go for the big guy."
Clint nodded, flexing his bow and taking off at a sprint. Thor landed beside him then, blood lusted and battle ready, a decidedly keen expression plastered on his face.
"If you can, I want you on top of it. Close combat, see if it can handle a little stormy weather. If not, Mjolnir can do some close quarter damage."
Thor said nothing, spinning his hammer and becoming airborne once more. Natasha merely nodded at Steve, picking up a discarded energy gun from one of their slain enemies and pulled the trigger to fire a test shot.
"This'll work."
"Good," Steve nodded, adjusting his mask and slipping his shield back over his arm as he picked up a weapon of his own, "We're gonna need it to."
They ran, as Tony flew over the top of them, his lasers providing a decidedly tougher kick than usual thanks to Thor's boost. Steve barely registered any of the foot soldiers coming towards them, as many fell before they even reached the captain, arrows jutting from various places. As for any of the remainders that Clint couldn't get to, Natasha was blasting them away with practiced ease, even as the beast rattled the ground beneath them in its thrashing attempts to remove the demigod from its body. The hulk had gone straight for the throat of the beast, and through whatever means, had seemingly managed to disable its vocal chords, the beast now failing to produce any of its deafening roars.
"It's got spines along its tail, but it seems to be keeping it away for the time being," Tony commented, "Although I'd still watch those claws, Spangles. It's also... scaly up top. Like a... lizard?"
The beast snapped its jaws then, spittle flying from its mouth. A glob landed on the captain's suit, which then bubbled slightly in return, burning away mere seconds later, leaving his skin feeling slightly tender. Natasha, ever observant, hadn't missed this and dodged the next bit of spittle to come their way.
"It's got acidic saliva!" Natasha relayed to the rest of the team, as Steve purposely tore the affected fabric from his skin.
"Acidity..." He murmured, shaking his head. There was more to this than they knew, he was sure of it. He threw his shield to attract the beast's attention, which he gained momentarily, the shield striking it in the knee caps, as it made a swipe at the captain. He only just managed to dodge the claw, landing on the sand beneath it, as it made to step on him. He rolled just in the nick of time, as Tony muttered a curse over the communications.
"Careful, Cap," Clint chipped in, the whole team seemingly aware of the near miss, "On the plus side, looks like ground forces are down, bar the ones near you guys."
"Is it possible they may have sought refuge beneath the surface?" Thor asked, as Tony shot straight upwards and hovered for a few moments.
"Doing a life scan here, and unless they are really deep, there are only a handful left, and they seem to have some kind of power over the beasty."
"Elaborate," Steve said firmly, as he fired a few shots from the laser gun into the beast's underbelly.
"Hey Tweety, base of the beast, rear legs. Can you get a shot?"
"Not from this range. Not without risking Tash or Steve," Clint replied, a morbid tone licking at his voice,
"Collateral damage?" Tony teased, and Natasha gave him a few choice words, "Alright, I'm on it."
Steve watched as Tony flitted down and through the beast's legs, a few minor explosions following shortly after, before a "Whoa!" came over the line, the Iron Man suit spluttering as Tony re-emerged, a thin trail of smoke following behind him.
"You alright there, Tinman?" Clint asked, an arrow soaring over Steve's head in the process, and striking the beast in the knee. There was silence for a minute or so, save the sounds of battle, before Tony finally responded.
"Took a hit. Jarvis is running a scan. Doesn't look too awful."
"How much damage can that suit handle?" Steve asked, realising that it was far from the first strike that Tony had taken that day.
"Enough. Hopefully."
"That's not reassuring."
"Well I have had the living shit beaten out of me by a demigod in the past. I think I'll survive."
Steve smirked in spite of himself, and he saw Natasha do the same, before she dive rolled away from the beast's paw, narrowly missing being caught by its claws. She was tiring and slowing from the fatigue, and the more Steve was dodging and ducking, throwing his shield when possible, the more he felt the strain as well. They hadn't met such a challenge since the Chitauri, and there was only so much they could take as mere mortals.
There was another deafening roar at that moment, and Steve was puzzled momentarily, until he realised it had been the hulk himself who had issued it, before being flung from the beast, a large wound now across his skin. Steve couldn't ever recall seeing the hulk take any damage, and unless he was mistaken, the green figure was now unconscious and quickly beginning to shrink down.
"Clint!" he barked over the earpiece, "Get him out of here!"
Steve attracted the beast's attention once more, with a few well aimed shots to the beast's mouth, saliva falling around them, and once again catching some of Steve's outfit. The captain was basically shirtless by this point, but there was no time for modesty. Steve stole the beast's attention from Bruce's position as Clint grabbed the man and flung the scientist over his shoulder, heading to the vehicle provided for them by SHIELD, Steve presumed. Natasha took a hit then, not quite able to dodge the beast's claw as it swiped for Steve, a gash forming along her abdomen. Tony was on her before Steve could say a word, flying her to join Bruce as Steve heard Tony calling in SHIELD. They could do this, Steve knew. Thor still had enough energy to continue his assaults from above, and there was enough power remaining in the Iron Man suit to do enough fire power to bring it down. The beast was already bleeding heavily from its body, its steps slightly more staggered as it moved, and Steve could see it was tiring fast.
"Tony we need you," He urged over the communications, diving several more times as the beast continued its attacks.
"It's weak," Tony observed, "I think I know what'll bring it down, but I'm gonna need another boost."
"Don't be reckless," Steve urged, his breath slightly laboured, as he only narrowly missed another swipe of the beast's paw. Tony headed up to land on the beast's back, and Steve heard him ask Thor for a jump start, before lightning flared from the sky once more.
"Not sure this is gonna work, but I'd move back if I were you, Goldilocks," Tony said firmly, and to Steve's surprise, Thor listened without question, using Mjolnir to fly and land beside Steve, now attacking the beast's knees.
"Tony...?" Steve pressed, as he heard a large humming noise ringing through the air, before a blast rang out, a shockwave rippling across them as it did so. There was a brief pause, the beast staggering slightly, seemingly momentarily surprised, before it swayed and fell to one side, Tony rolling off of it and landing in a heap by its rear legs. Steve tried to absorb what had happened, before he saw a gush of green blood rush from a large hole in the monster's chest. Tony had blasted a hole clean through the monster's body, covering himself in monster blood in the process.
"Ugh... gross. There aren't enough showers in the world to get rid of this stink..."
Steve had never been more relieved to hear Tony complaining in his entire life. His heart had near stopped when that blast rang out, and he had gotten bad deja vu of watching Tony doing something completely reckless and entirely selfless, and not being sure if the playboy would come out of it alive . He'd had that sinking feeling for the second time since meeting the man, that he had lost Tony Stark, and he realised very suddenly that he hated the thought. That no matter what Tony was to him, Steve needed him around. That thought both soothed and terrified him in a confusing clash of emotions, but he wasn't going to think too hard on that now.
"We've tolerated your stench before, I'm sure we can do so again," Steve teased, relief sweeping through him. It was short lived, however, as he saw the beast's tail rise in one final act before its demise.
"Tony!" He called out in an attempt at warning, but it was too late. The spines along the beast's tail exploded, sending them scattering everywhere, and Steve froze, watching with increasing horror as Tony's back arched just slightly, one of the spines piercing directly through the suit and pinning him to the red soil and sand beneath him. Thor had taken a hit too, but to the shoulder, and was already working on easing the spine out when Steve ran to Tony's side.
He dropped to the ground beside him, hands trembling, as he reached out and took the mask from Tony's face, tossing it aside. His heart sank with deja vu all over again, but this time, Tony was conscious.
"Son of a... bitch..." Tony groaned, his eyes clenching shut as he attempted to reach and pull out the spine.
"Don't," Steve said firmly, swatting Tony's hand away from his abdomen and applying pressure to the wound. Tony choked slightly, coughing, and Steve felt his veins turn to ice, as the gesture brought blood to Tony's lips.
"Think I might be dying..." He murmured calmly, and Steve shook his head, hands still trembling against Tony's wound.
"No, you're not dying," Steve said stubbornly, "Shut up, you're wasting your energy."
Tony clenched his eyes shut again, gritting his teeth as he clutched at Steve's bare shoulder. Steve let him do whatever he needed, but still quietly urged him to lay still. Tony tried to sit up, using Steve's shoulder as leverage, but all he managed to do was pull the captain down. He kept his eyes closed, letting out a pained breath, as Steve knelt beside him and silently prayed that this was just a new take on an old nightmare, and he'd wake up any moment now.
"What's going on over there?" Clint spoke over the communications, and Tony managed to roll his eyes, despite circumstances.
"Don't let him touch my stuff," Tony said weakly, his face visibly paling.
"We need a doctor, Tony's in a bad..." Steve couldn't finish it, but Clint seemed to understand the severity regardless.
"You're going to be fine," Steve reassured, and Tony gave a lazy smile.
"You telling me...that... or is it for your own sake?"
Steve shook his head. He didn't know. He didn't know much at that moment, other than the fact that Tony's blood seemed to be everywhere, his skin pale, his eyes drifting shut and springing open intermittently. Tony was fighting for consciousness, and Steve's fingers were trembling, and there was blood everywhere. Tony reassuringly rubbed Steve's shoulder, coming to rest on his forearm and giving it a squeeze, forcing Steve to bring his gaze to meet Tony's.
"So... You should know," Tony began, his eyes drifting shut momentarily again, his voice slurred, "I mean, you do know... I was kind of a dick... I just, sort of... I don't do the whole... 'people' thing... very well..."
Steve squeezed Tony's hand as it rested on his forearm, a new spark of hope flooding through him as he heard a plane engine approaching. He urged Tony to be quiet, to conserve energy, but the billionaire stubbornly pressed on, slowly opening eyes to groggily hold Steve's gaze.
"'msorry about the... the stuff I said... the bottle stuff... Bottle or not, you're a pretty great..." Tony slurred, his grip getting weaker, even as Steve gripped tighter onto Tony's hand, "It's been... an honour, Captain."
Steve said nothing, Tony still offering a lopsided smile as his eyelids slid closed and didn't re-open. Steve felt his breath catch. He'd be damned if Tony was going to just up and die on him like that. He couldn't. Steve shook his shoulder, one hand still pressed firmly against Tony's wound.
"Tony?" He urged, voice firm, but wavering slightly with desperation. His days of losing men were over, he'd thought. They were indestructible. They were the Avengers, for Christ's sake, and Tony was... Tony was meant to be the invincible Iron Man. As far as Steve knew, they hadn't changed the meaning of 'invincible' during his time in the ice.
"Don't you die on me, Stark!" Steve barked, shaking Tony's shoulder once again, as Thor slowly approached, his expression filled with pain as the demigod remained silent. Steve watched for a sign of life, the arc reactor flickering slightly, but Tony was motionless. There seemed to be no breaths coming from his parted lips, no rise and fall of his chest. Steve tore off his gloves with his teeth and reached a trembling hand to Tony's throat, his other hand never leaving the wound. His fingers were trembling so hard, he wasn't sure if he was feeling anything, or it was just the effects of his shaking. They'd won. Soldiers weren't meant to fall after the battle had been won. Steve pulled his fingers from Tony's throat and leant down to listen for breath, but with the sound of approaching SHIELD agents, he couldn't pick up a thing. His throat felt tight, his chest felt tight, and his lungs were burning for air. He took Tony's hand in his own and let out a shaking gasp for air. Steve had only just started to understand Tony, and now he was losing him.
A groggy Bruce came running over to them then, falling beside Tony, his own hands trembling, as Steve still clutched to Tony's. Bruce placed his forefinger and middle finger over Tony's carotid artery feeling for a pulse, before Steve visibly saw the tension on the doctor's face wash away.
"He's alive, but it's weak," He urged Steve to move from Tony's side, and for a good few moments, Steve didn't think he could. However, he stepped away, Tony's blood on his fingers, on his chest, on his pants, in his hair. SHIELD medical staff rushed by, everything a blur, as Steve could hear his heart pounding in his ears, not able to look back, not able to face what may be a lifeless form. He walked forward on auto-pilot, passing Thor as the god looked on in hurt and undeniable worry, despite medical staff working on his own wounds. He passed Clint as the sharp shooter paused briefly to clap a hand on his shoulder, but Steve didn't really feel it. He moved until he got to where Natasha sat, weakly trying to swat the SHIELD medics away from her, insisting she needed to thank him, 'just in case'. It was all white noise, and when a medic came to his side, saying something or other about needing to treat severe burns, immediate concern on the woman's face, he felt himself give way to unconsciousness.
When Steve had woken, he'd been back at SHIELD's medical facilities, his skin bandaged tightly, where they had explained that the acidic properties of the beast's saliva had cause the equivalent of second degree burns over most of his chest. However, he was expected to make a full and speedy recovery. Steve half listened through their explanation, before raising his more immediate concerns.
They'd taken him to Tony, and Steve had sat beside the man, blue eyes raking over too pale skin. He didn't know how long he'd sat there, the other Avengers filtering in and out, Steve only paying real attention when Nick Fury made his presence known. The director had explained that SHIELD had investigated the remains of the mining system, collecting all of the remaining equipment and intelligence that Acidity had left intact. He would let Steve know more as it developed. He wished Tony well. He suggested Steve rest. Steve gave polite, automatic responses to each request and every reassurance, until Fury left the captain to his own thoughts once again. Tony had stayed by his side as he'd healed once, and Steve would do the same. He'd stay, he'd listen to the doctors tell him that there were complications, that Tony may not come out of it, and that if he did, there was no guaranteeing he'd be the man that Steve remembered, all the while fighting what emotional responses his body was creating. He made to take Tony's hand on a few occasions, hoping that if somehow Tony knew Steve was there, he'd feel a little more at ease. Each time, Steve held back, opting instead to wring his fingers or run a hand through his hair. He didn't have a clue what he should be doing, and so, started having illogical thoughts that if only Tony were there, he'd be able to give Steve the answers. But Tony was there; the answers just never came.
Steve was starting to think that maybe he needed Tony more than even he realised.
The first time Tony woke, he was incomprehensible. He was hopped up on pain killers, and he was barely intelligible, but Steve had been there, and Tony had muttered incoherently. The only words that had made sense amongst it all was 'Thanks, Steve', and that was all Steve had needed to hear.
Bruce had argued to have Tony moved to the tower as he recovered, once the billionaire was in a more stable condition, and Fury had allowed it. Steve had overheard Bruce arguing his case when he did, and his name had cropped up.
"He's barely left the hospital since Stark has been there. It's as bad for Steve as it is for Stark. If Tony were at the tower, he'd be under my medical care, supervised by Jarvis, and Rogers could maybe get a decent night sleep."
It had won Bruce the final straw in the argument, but he'd been wrong. Steve slept in his own bed, yes. But it was infrequent and it was far from decent.
He went day to day, managing to build up enough of a facade that the rest of the team seemed to accept that he wasn't being constantly plagued by worry. He spent as much time as he could with them as well, watching movies, eating meals, playing video games, all the while thinking of his friend in the other room. He'd almost lost Tony again, without ever properly thanking him, or apologising, or even just generally reassuring Tony that it didn't matter what anyone else said, Steve thought of him as a hero.
More importantly, Steve thought of him as a friend.
The second time Tony woke, he'd been a little more coherent, even managing to ask for food and water. Steve hadn't been there, and he didn't think he'd ever forgive himself for it.
"You should sleep more. It'll start taking its toll on you," Bruce said softly, changing the IV drip at Tony's side. Steve looked up drowsily from the book he'd been half-heartedly attempting to read, before stifling a yawn.
"I don't really have anything else to do during the day," Steve confessed, "Besides, he waited with me."
Bruce gave a small, sad smile, before placing his hand on Steve's shoulder and squeezing it. The gesture was so familiar, so Tony, that Steve had to swallow a wave of nausea down.
"He's well looked after. He's stable. I guarantee you that he'll appreciate it more if you're actually coherent when he wakes up, as opposed to this zombified state you've gotten yourself into," Bruce said this a little more firmly than usual, and Steve realised this was because Bruce was emphasising the fact that he was right and needed to be listened to. Steve gave a reluctant nod and stretched, running his hand through his hair as Bruce gave a small, soft smile, his gaze turning away from Steve's.
"Are you going to tell him?"
"Tell him what?" Steve queried, as Bruce shook his head, his smile still lingering.
"Who am I kidding? You haven't even told yourself yet."
Steve pretended he had no idea what Bruce was talking about, but a nagging, sickening part of him had an idea, and when he crawled into bed under Bruce's orders, it was all he could think about.
"You look like shit."
Steve was jolted from his dozing by those four words, and his eyes snapped open to meet Tony's, as the billionaire offered a half smile.
"Tony?"
"As far as I'm aware, yes."
Steve watched him for a moment. Tony's eyes were alert. His skin was a little less pale. His cheeks were a little less drawn.
"You're gonna catch flies, Spangles," Tony said drily, as Steve realised his mouth was hanging open slightly.
"I... sorry. How are you feeling?" Steve asked, snapping back to reality.
Tony stretched slightly, fighting off a grimace as he did so, before resting his arms behind his head.
"Considering I was a shish kebab, not too awful," He shrugged slightly, "But I have definitely been better."
"Understandably," Steve smiled softly, and Tony returned the favour. There was silence for a few moments, aside from Tony letting out an obnoxiously loud yawn, and Steve attempted to compose his thoughts. He was nearly overcome with relief to see Tony being so... Tony.
"I hear you've waited with me," Tony remarked casually, and Steve nodded, before another silence stretched on for a few moments.
"Thanks," Tony said finally, and Steve met his gaze once again.
"It was nothing. Was just the right thing to do."
Tony looked like he wanted to argue against that, but decided to let it slide. Steve was silently grateful. He didn't want to explain his reasoning to Tony. At least, not now. Not when he wasn't even sure of his reasoning himself.
"You should get some sleep," Tony said, and Steve made to argue, before Tony raised a brow, "I let one argument slide, this one can be your turn."
Steve shook his head with a sigh, before standing, a small smile on his lips.
"Get some rest."
"Night Steve," Tony slurred groggily, before a large yawn echoed through the room.
Steve walked towards the door and pushed it open, before Tony's parting words caught his ears.
"Thanks again."
He nodded, not looking back, before he headed to his room, exhaustion finally taking over, and relief finally allowing him to sleep.
Tony was going to be okay.
A/N: Thanks guys!
Please review.