As a side note, for those of you who noticed (and even for those of you who didn't) I'm not going to be mentioning which chapters have "M" rated content anymore like I did with "Chasing the Moon" (unless you'd prefer that I did so). That's due to the fact that I rated this story "M" from the get-go so I assume you knew what you were getting yourself into when you started. Much thanks to Whitewolfstar who reviewed the last chapter! I realize now the flaw with posting a story as a Christmas present is that very few people log on during the holidays and then said story gets lost in the stream of updates. At least I hope that's the reason (yikes!). Ah well, onto the next!

Chapter 2

The week passed very much the same as any other when the whole pack was home. Tony started going back to the office during the day and took Bruce in with him to continue his projects in Stark Industries R&D department instead of using SHIELDs laboratory facilities. Clint, Natasha, and Steve wrapped up their reports and went back to training for the next. Steve also took over tending to Peter during the day and he relished having the opportunity to do so. Every day was a little adventure and the routine made time rush by.

Before Steve knew it, it was already Thursday and that same daily routine was turned on its head as he now found himself faced with the challenge of getting everything ready for a guest. Clint had volunteered to keep Peter entertained for a few hours but Steve almost wished that he had a bit of a distraction.

Steve let out a breath and rested his hands on his hips as he stared into the fridge. Okay, what was he going to make for dinner? His initial impulse had been steak with a side of potatoes but then he had the thought that as much as Phil might like steak he should probably consider some sort of vegetable as a side-dish. Which was where he was stuck now. Vegetables weren't really a staple in the house and Steve wasn't really an expert on how to prepare them for company. He had seen how restaurants did it but to actually execute it himself was a different matter entirely.

Just as Steve was considering calling Peggy up, Natasha walked into the kitchen behind him. It looked like she had just come in for a glass of water but Steve stopped her before she was even able to reach for the cabinet where the glasses were kept. "What sort of vegetables go with steak and potatoes?"

The redhead gave him an unimpressed look. Unimpressed, but not surprised. "Most of them?" When Steve just continued to stare Natasha sighed and walked over to stand next to him in front of the fridge. "What do we have?"

Steve immediately scooted over to allow her full access to their very sad-looking vegetable drawer. "Uh…a head of broccoli that looks a little old and two carrots."

"The broccoli is still good, just cut the browner sections off. You can use both the broccoli and the carrots to make up for the parts you trim off."

Okay, broccoli and carrots could go together. Good. That was a start. "How should I cook them?"

Natasha sighed and rolled her eyes but went ahead and pulled the vegetables out of the crisper. If he had been anyone else in the pack Steve had a feeling that the eye-roll would have been accompanied by a dry insult. "You could steam them or roast them. Here, how about you take care of the steaks and I'll do the vegetables?"

"Thanks."

Natasha must have heard the relief in his voice because she smiled as she rolled her sleeves back.

They worked in together in the kitchen for about twenty minutes and it was actually quite nice. Natasha had never been a big talker and Steve appreciated her calm quiet. It took some of the pressure he had been feeling off of his shoulders. Soon it was just like cooking any other dinner, save for the addition of greens, and there was a soft smile on his face when JARVIS announced that Tony and Bruce had made it back home.

Steve heard the front door open and a minute later Tony stuck his head in the doorway of the kitchen, Peter clutched tightly onto his pants. The Cat's eyes passed from Steve to Natasha before he smirked. "I see the two of you are having fun playing 'house' tonight."

Steve only smiled as Natasha's grip tightened on the knife she was using to slice up potatoes. When she turned to face Tony his smirk faltered a bit, his gaze instantly zeroing in on the blade. "Why don't you go upstairs and play 'CEO' before I start cutting more than potatoes?"

Tony's lips twitched down at the barely veiled threat but after a minute he seemed to think better of replying sarcastically. Instead his mouth straightened out and he nodded. "Okay. I'm going to go upstairs and do something CEO-related."

A part of Steve's brain was irked by Natasha pointing a knife at his mate but a bigger part of him knew that she wouldn't actually do anything despite the fact that she was fully capable. He waved as Tony ducked back out of the room and only gave Natasha a short look as they turned back around to face the counter. The redhead smiled and went back to dicing potatoes. "Admit it, you didn't want him hanging around here heckling us anymore than I did."

"You might be right."

They fell back into a comfortable pattern and continued to work side-by-side. More minutes ticked by until JARVIS announced another arrival just as the doorbell rang. "Agent Phil Coulson has arrived at the house."

Steve wiped his hands off on a towel, flipped it over his shoulder, and began to walk out of the kitchen but before he reached the doorway the sound of little footsteps raced down the stairs and scampered for the front door. He made it into the foyer in time to see Peter push himself up onto his tip-toes to grab the door handle and pull it open. "Phil!"

The senior agent was standing on the other side of the door in his suit, looking like he had driven over straight from the SHIELD offices. Seeing Peter's grin he offered the boy one of his small, calm smiles. "Hello, Peter. How are you doing?"

"Good! Are you gonna eat dinner with us?"

"Yes. Is that alright?" Steve smiled at the man's question. He had made it sound like he was legitimately asking Peter's permission. He was almost curious what would happen if his son said 'no' but knew that Peter would never give him the chance to find out.

Sure enough, "Yeah! You should come in!"

"Thank you."

Steve and Phil exchanged a smile and a polite nod as Peter grabbed the man's hand and tugged him over the threshold into their home. It was rare to see Peter acting this outgoing around a non-pack-member. Usually he was fairly withdrawn and cautious, undoubtedly a product of his terrible experience with Hydra. But it made sense. Peter had known Coulson before he had even met Steve and Tony and his happiness at seeing the SHIELD agent spoke of how much care the man had taken to help all of Hydra's victims heal. "Hi Phil, I'm glad you could make it."

"Thank you for having me over. The house looks nice."

Right. This was the first time Phil had ever been to the Stark Mansion in person. "Thanks—"

Before Steve could continue, Peter bounced up and tugged again on Phil's hand. "—Pop made me pick up all my toys. You wanna see them? They're upstairs in my room."

Steve smiled apologetically at Phil then turned to look at Peter. "Now Peter, I don't think—"

Steve was interrupted for a second time, but this time by Phil. "It's okay. I would love to see your toys, Peter."

Well, Steve had tried to give the agent a way out but it seemed like he hadn't needed his help. Phil appeared genuinely content to follow Peter up the stairs, the small boy already nearly as strong as the human as he led him back to his room. But there were a few more things Steve had to take care of before dinner got on the table so he meandered his way back into the kitchen.

He offered to take over for Natasha so she could have a little quiet time before the mild chaos of the meal started. There really wasn't much left to do after all of her early help so she took him up on it and left him on his own to go get cleaned up and enjoy a few more minutes of silence before everyone gathered at the dining table.

Natasha got a few minutes of silence. Steve not so much. It seemed like Natasha had barely made it out of the room before another noise reached his ears. The sound of heavy footsteps coming down the staircase echoed into the kitchen and Steve didn't even need to look up to know who was coming. Since Thor wasn't around the only other person who made that much noise was Tony. It was sort of ironic given that Tony was a Panther and could be nearly silent as he walked. He just belligerently chose to do the opposite most days.

Tony slunk into the room, looked around as if to check that Steve was alone, then thumbed back toward the staircase as he appeared in the doorway. "Did Peter just kidnap Coulson?"

"It seems like it. But he went pretty willingly."

Tony snorted and walked across the room only to jump up so that he was sitting on top of the counter next to where Steve was working. "I think that suit is sewn onto his skin."

"Be nice."

"'Be nice'?" Tony reached across Steve's cutting board to where he had pulled the steaks off and was letting them rest. "This is me being nice. I let you invite him over, didn't I?"

Tony growled as Steve swatted his hands away from the steaks without missing a beat. "Be unusually nice."

"Then Coulson will just think something's wrong."

"True."

Just like Natasha had warned him, Tony lingered in the kitchen, not helping, just talking. Except she had been wrong about Steve not wanting Tony around. Even like this it was simply nice to be able to have a moment alone with his mate in a simple domestic setting. For that small amount of time it made him feel like what they had was a normal, everyday relationship. That Tony wasn't a famous CEO, that they both weren't active field agents for SHIELD. Those moments didn't come around too often.

Soon enough though, the food was finished and Steve called everyone to the table after he had Tony help him set the table. Peter was quick to drag Phil back down into the dining room and Clint was right on their heels. Bruce and Natasha arrived not long after.

Phil hummed appreciatively as he took his first bite of the steak Steve had made. "The food is delicious."

Tony shrugged from his spot next to Steve. "The vegetables are for you."

"Tony…" Steve frowned and bumped Tony's leg under the table.

"As if he hadn't figured that out already."

Clint smirked. "Then why did you need to say it?"

"I wasn't talking to you, birdbrain."

Clint sat up a little straighter and scowled. "Hey!"

The argument between Tony and Clint wasn't unusual but Steve still felt the need to lean over to Phil and whisper an apology. "I'm sorry."

The man gently shook his head and there was still a small smile on his lips. "It's fine. It's been a while since I've had such lively discussion during dinner so it's actually kind of nice."

Setting down her fork, Natasha turned to Coulson with a deadpan expression. "Can we switch dinners?"

Bruce grinned. "Trust me, this is nothing. We're all on good behavior."

Across the table Peter sat up a little taller in his booster seat with a wide smile on his face. "I'm being good!"

Steve nodded. "Yes, you are." Peter was being very good. It was his Dad who was causing most of the problems.

The emphasis Steve had made didn't escape Tony and the Cat scoffed. "If you think that's all it's going to take to shame me into keeping my mouth shut you have another thing coming."

Steve knew that better than anyone but kept that to himself. Sometimes the best way to win a fight with Tony was to simply not engage. Usually if he didn't get the sort of reaction he wanted he'd get bored and move on. In this case Steve's strategy was somewhat thrown off by the fact that Clint was there to continue to rile Tony up but it didn't get too out of hand. Despite what Tony had said they clearly were both behaving better than they would have had a guest not been present.

Phil appeared to enjoy himself throughout the meal though and when it was finished and everyone began to excuse themselves from the table, Steve caught the man's eye and was happy to find that the agent seemed in no real rush to leave.

Tony was another matter. The Panther was one of the first ones to jump up from the table and barely remembered to clear away his dishes before brushing by Steve as he headed out of the dining room. "I'm going down to the shop."

Steve wasn't surprised that Tony wasn't sticking around to help him entertain Coulson. Phil was more of Steve's guest anyway and he figured that Tony's way of contributing was not asking Steve to get rid of him. "Alright. Do you have a project going or…?"

Steve let his voice trail off in question. Tony shook his head and seemed to understand what Steve was really asking. "Not right now. You can have JARVIS call me when you're heading to bed." If Tony had been working on a project there would have been a chance that the Cat might not have made it back to bed at all that night. When Tony was just down there tinkering he usually came up to their bedroom pretty willingly.

"Good."

Peter perked up in his chair. "Can I come with you, Dad?"

Tony paused and really thought for a moment—probably trying to remember if there was anything dangerous lying about in his workshop—before he shrugged and nodded. "Sure, for a little while. Then it'll be time to get you up to bed according to your Pop's schedule."

"Aww!"

"I know, I know. It's totally unfair. Your Pop's a tyrant."

Steve wanted to frown at Tony but couldn't quite muster the strength to force the small smile off his face as Tony bent down and scooped Peter up out of his booster seat. The rest of the pack didn't take too long to disperse after that, Bruce taking a few more minutes to make sure all the dishes were put away. Clint lingered a bit, possibly waiting around to eavesdrop on what Steve and Phil were going to talk about, but Natasha dragged him away to give them a little one-on-one time. Honestly, Steve wouldn't have minded if the Hawk—or any of them—stayed. They weren't going to talk about anything confidential. But a part of him did appreciate it. He liked talking with Phil and it wasn't often they had the chance to speak in a non-business setting.

Steve turned back to the man in question and motioned towards the door. "If you wouldn't mind waiting a bit we could head into the living room to go over that paperwork."

"I don't mind at all."

But while they were still near the kitchen, "Can I get you get you some coffee first?" Wolves weren't always known to have great manners but Steve could try to be a good host.

Phil looked startled at the offer before a small, happy smile slipped onto his face. "Yes, please."

Steve smiled in return. He had enough practice with Tony's overly-complicated coffee machine over the years that it didn't take him more than a few minutes to have two mugs full of regular coffee ready to go and he was able to lead Phil across the main floor of the house to one of the front rooms designed more for entertaining guests. All Steve cared about though was that it was a little bit away from the noisier areas of the house and had a comfortable couch.

Motioning for Coulson to take a seat, Steve set his mug down on the coffee table then waved back towards the foyer. "Let me go grab the papers." He had them up in the bedroom. He had wanted to review them one more time last night before he went to bed, just to make sure that everything was in order before he officially turned the report over to SHIELD.

Steve came back downstairs to find Phil sitting on the couch exactly where he had left him, sipping contentedly at his coffee as he waited for it to cool. Taking the seat next to him on the couch, Steve passed the folder over to the SHIELD agent. "Here's my report from the Cincinnati mission."

"Thank you." Setting the folder on his lap, Phil seemed happy to momentarily ignore work and gazed instead at a large framed photograph hanging on the far side of the room. It was a picture of the whole pack from last autumn. Pepper had taken it during one of the last barbeques they had before the weather had turned. Everyone, even Thor and Loki, had been there that day and somehow Pepper had gotten them all to stand still long enough to get them all in frame for the photo. Even Peter who had been constantly on the move and who hadn't wanted to stand still for anything. "Peter is doing very well."

"I think so." Steve hoped so. He and Tony, and everyone else, they were all doing their best.

Phil turned away from the photo to meet Steve's eyes with a calm confidence that instantly set all of Steve's uncertainties at ease. "He is. He is well adjusted, he's settled in, he's comfortable with not just you and Tony but everyone else in your pack. It's obvious that he's been given anything a boy his age could hope for."

Steve knew that part was true. Maybe a little too true sometimes. Shaking his head, Steve grabbed his own coffee cup off of the table and used it to try and hide the dry smile that he couldn't keep off of his lips. "Tony's very good about buying him everything he could need, though we're trying not to spoil him too much."

"I wasn't just talking about physical objects. You've taken him in as your own, provided him with love and security. I never had any doubts but it is good to see."

So that's what he had meant. Steve nodded thoughtfully. They have given Peter a lot but Peter had given back, even if the boy didn't realize it. He had filled a need in Steve's heart and in his Wolf's soul. Peter might not be their biological child but Steve loved him as much as if he were. "He really has become like our son. He is a great kid; I can't imagine life without him anymore."

"I'm glad he made it through." Phil tilted his head then leaned in closer to Steve as his voice fell almost to a whisper. "We're never supposed to have favorites in any sense at SHIELD, but out of all of the Shifters we saved from Hydra, Peter had always a bit special to me ever since they all regained consciousness. It is a real pleasure to see him doing as well as he is."

Steve could feel the sincerity in Phil's words but what he had said was sobering. Steve never forgot where Peter had come from and how he had come to them but the mention of Hydra and all the others they had in their custody brought back such a strong memory of finding all of Hydra's victims in that lab that Steve could almost taste the antibacterial stench that had hung heavy in the air.

He must have fallen silent for a moment and was brought back to the present when Phil softly nudged his leg. "There's something else on your mind."

It wasn't a question so much as a statement and Steve couldn't deny that it was true. "Yes, there is…How are the rest of the children doing? Have they all found homes?" It still bothered Steve to know that while they had given Peter a home there were still multiple others who SHIELD had been trying to place in safe, caring environments.

"Yes. In fact, the majority of them were placed into a single foster home."

"Really?" Steve couldn't even imagine-"Who took them in?"

"It was one of the adults who Hydra also had captured and experimented on. He ended up mating with one of the other adults during our rehabilitation program here at SHIELD and together they decided to house the kids who weren't quickly being placed in homes."

"Can two people really take care of that many children? Peter is wonderful, but dealing with the fallout of what Hydra did to him isn't always easy for the whole pack, and he's just one person." Even if they were all well behaved and well-adjusted they would all have special needs as far as the care they would require.

Phil nodded in agreement. "I had the same thought, as did my supervisors. But he came from a wealthy family in England and has the resources to do it. We still send agents over to check on everyone's well-being but so far they seem to be doing alright."

Steve perked up. "Could you get me their information? I'd really like to go check on them."

It didn't take long for Phil to catch on to what Steve's plan was. "As a SHIELD agent you do have the authority to access the information but I have to remind you that this is all confidential and sensitive material. I don't want their identities getting out into the public, just like I'm sure you don't want Peter's name to be associated with Hydra."

"No" That was the last thing any of them wanted. Tony had been hesitant enough to tell the media that Peter was a Shifter; neither of them had any desire to tell them about Peter's past. It was something private that they didn't want anyone to ever use against him. They decided to leave it up to Peter as he grew older who he wanted to tell his story to. "You don't have to worry, I'll absolutely respect their privacy."

"I know you will." Phil paused for a moment then reached into the pocket in his suit and pulled out his smart phone. A few seconds later he pulled up a picture of a young man and handed it to Steve to get a better look at. "His name is Charles Xavier and his mate's name is Erik."

Steve's brows rose as he scrolled through what turned out to be Xavier's SHIELD file. "They're both men?"

Phil smiled at that. "You and Tony aren't the only homosexual Shifter couples out there. They are also both Wolves, Erik is an alpha and Charles is an omega."

Steve's brows rose further still. "An omega? It's been a while since I've been around one of them." Omegas were rare among Wolves. Steve had never had one in his pack or had ever been personally acquainted with one but he occasionally would encounter an omega Wolf in his day-to-day life. As an alpha it was always a bit of a jarring experience to catch their scent.

Phil kept his smile but there was a serious glint in his eyes as he took his phone back. "Mind yourself when you're over there. From what I remember, Erik is rather protective of Charles and I can't imagine that's changed since they left SHIELD's care."

"Of course." If Charles was already mated it would be easier to ignore some of that instinctual draw.

"Then I can probably arrange a meeting between you."

"That would be great."

Their conversation fell to a lull and they both sensed that Phil's visit was over. Making sure to collect the file Steve had brought down for him, Phil rose to his feet and Steve was quick to do the same. "Thank you very much for inviting me for dinner, Steve. It was an unexpected offer but very appreciated."

"Feel free to drop by anytime. "

"Thank you, but—"

Steve interrupted before the man was able to offer too much protest. "I mean it. You're a member of this, admittedly unconventional family. We're always happy to have you."

Phil opened his mouth again then decided against whatever he had been about to say. Instead he just offered Steve one more smile that reached all the way to his eyes. "Thank you." This time Steve could tell that the agent genuinely meant it.

Steve led the agent to the door and waved him goodbye. Once he made sure the man had made it to his car and was heading off, Steve walked back inside then smiled. "JARVIS, can you let Tony know that—you know what? Never mind. I'm just going to talk to him myself."

"Very good, Sir. I will unlock the workshop for you."

"Thanks."

Steve jogged down the steps to Tony's workshop. Sure enough, JARVIS had kept his word and unlocked the door for him, the glass panel sliding open as Steve approached it. Tony had his music on like usual but it was relatively quiet, the beats softly thrumming through the air and almost overshadowed by the television. The news lit up the large screen at the closest end of the room but Steve didn't pay it too much attention. A quick scan of the workshop showed that Tony himself was near the center of the cavernous room where he had pulled over three tables and had a variety of small mechanical parts scattered across them. He was alone so he must have sent Peter back upstairs at some point during Steve and Phil's talk which was probably for the best since it was already getting late.

His mate had glanced up as soon as the door slid open but had already returned his attention back to his work by the time Steve had started to walk over to him. "Phil just left."

The Cat snorted. "He took his time."

"We were talking."

"Uh-huh…"

"He's going to facilitate a meeting between us and another couple who adopted the other children from Hydra."

"Uh-huh…"

Steve frowned and leaned up against one of Tony's workbenches. "Are you listening to me or are you just answering back with a vague response whenever I stop talking for a moment?"

"Uh-huh."

Sighing, Steve put his hand on his hip. "I can't tell if you're not listening or if you're just being difficult now. Tony."

That got his attention. Tony spun back around to look at him with an annoyed scowl on his face. "What?"

"Phil's going to arrange a meeting between us and the two other Shifters who adopted the majority of the children Hydra had."

"What? Why?"

That answered his question if Tony had been listening earlier. "Because I want to meet them. I want to know how they and the children are doing. So we're going."

"How did I get involved with this?"

"Because you're my mate."

Tony gave him an unimpressed look before his eyes caught on something over Steve's shoulder. Steve turned to look back and saw that the news had switched over to a new story. And this one had a fancy graphic pasted between the two news anchors calling it "The Shifter Dilemma".

Tony stepped forward to stand next to Steve and nodded towards the screen. "J, turn up the volume on that thing will you?"

"Of course, Sir."

Almost instantly the large room filled with the voice of the lead female anchor and they watched as the camera cut to a pan over a normal looking row of suburban houses. "—and one local resident has taken notice. He, his wife, and three children had been living in their suburban neighborhood for almost fifteen years when suddenly everything changed. The house next door went up for sale and two months later its new owner moves in, and, as it turned out, they were anything but normal. For weeks he didn't suspect anything was wrong until one night he saw the new owner's child playing out in his backyard and watched as the little girl shifted into a young Wolf."

Steve tensed as the picture jumped to a pre-recorded interview with the man in question. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They seemed so normal. But when I saw the girl shift I knew the mom and dad had to be Wolves too."

The camera cut back to the view of the houses as the news anchor narrated. "Before he was able to speak with the girl her mother had pulled her back into the house but he wasn't going to pretend the incident had never happened."

The image jumped back to the man and he looked very excited, his expression drawn tight with righteous indignation. "So I grab my gun, just to be safe, you know? And I walk next door and knock on the door. The dad opened it and I swear I'd never been so scared in my life now that I knew what he was. But I had my family to think about, you know? So I ask him point blank if he was a Shifter and he was still trying to lie to me, saying he was human. But now that I knew I could tell just from looking in his eyes that he was a Wolf."

The camera cut back to the newsroom where the two anchors gave each other concerned, consolatory looks. "The man called the city but they say there's nothing they can do as long as his new neighbors don't break any real laws. According to our latest correspondence the man has become so frustrated that he is now considering moving."

Tony waved his hand and the audio cut off, instantly replaced again by his music. There was a heavy frown on his face and an angry look in his eyes. "That's disgusting."

Steve nodded. He couldn't disagree. It really was disgusting. That man had confronted his neighbor with what was undoubtedly a loaded weapon and the poor Shifter, knowing that his wife and daughter had been seen, was so frightened that he had desperately lied to try and ensure his safety. And the police, who had probably only gotten the human's side of the story, hadn't done anything to protect the Shifter family that was actually being threatened.

Tony angrily searched through the pile of loose parts on the table in front of him before giving up and crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't get it. That human asshole shouldn't have cared in the first place but I don't see why the Wolf would have even bothered to pretend they were human too. Just let that dick deal with it or move."

Steve couldn't stop a smart remark from slipping passed his lips. "Yeah, why would anyone pretend to be human?"

It was a low-blow and they both knew it. Tony's eyes narrowed and the ways they flashed would have made Steve regret what he had said if he hadn't meant it. "Hey, I'm different. And we've talked about this."

"I know." They had talked about it extensively but what it came down to was that Tony was doing what he felt he needed to both for himself and for his company. Steve didn't always like the choice his mate made but he respected it and so tried to support Tony as best he could. And despite the fact that Tony had just poked a hole in his own reasoning Steve didn't want to start up a new debate right then. It was too late in the day for that and he didn't want them going to bed mad at each other. "How about we just turn in for the night? Are you at a decent stopping point?"

Tony heaved a breath and Steve could tell he wasn't the only one happy that the conversation hadn't devolved into an argument. "It's as good a stopping point as any. Let's just go to bed."

O~O~O~O~O

Tony raised a condescending brow as the GPS led them further back into the gently sloping hills near Westchester, New York until Steve finally turned down a side-road and up to a large gate. From the look of the gate itself and the hint of the manor home he could see through the bars it looked like one of those old-money estates that Tony had always scoffed at. It was the sort of society that—despite the amount of money and prestige they had—the Stark family was never able to fit into. Howard had earned all of his money through hard work and ingenuity; it hadn't been passed down to him through innumerous generations. Tony had never minded the new-money label. He had actually been proud of the fact that his father and he had earned everything they owned through their own blood, sweat, and genius intellects rather than inheriting it from some lord or duke from "the Old Country". But faced now with the admittedly impressive gate, Tony had to give it to this Xavier guy that there was a certain aura that wealth alone couldn't replicate.

Steve rolled down the window and dialed in an access code SHIELD had sent to them. As promised, the gate swung open and they drove through. As he rolled his window back up, Steve glanced over at Tony with a small frown on his face. "I still don't see why you need to shut your scent off."

Tony subconsciously adjusted his suit jacket. It was one of the few he owned that he stored separate from his main wardrobe, sealed off from the scents in the rest of the house. He pulled it out whenever he thought he might be meeting with a Shifter and didn't want them sniffing him out. As it happened, it was the same one he wore when he had first met Steve but Tony didn't expect the Wolf to remember that. "We don't know these people. What if they run to the press to sell me out as a Shifter?"

"But they're Shifters too."

Tony snorted. "You think that makes them saints?"

"No. But they should be more understanding."

"They should be but I'm not gonna bet on it. I think being Tony Stark, billionaire philanthropist is enough." Tony knew that Steve was probably right. After Steve had alerted him to this little meet-and-greet he and Coulson had set up, Tony had immediately jumped on the internet and then on the SHIELD database which honestly needed to have its firewall updated. It hadn't changed at all since he broke in over a year ago.

The basics of what he learned matched what Coulson had explained to Steve. Both Xavier and his mate were victims of Hydra's experimentations and had been fucked up by it just like Peter had. Tony hadn't looked too much into what had happened to them because he didn't want those mental images in his head but whatever Hydra had done had left Xavier wheelchair bound. Xavier seemed like he had been a pretty interesting guy before Hydra had gotten their claws into him though. He was an omega but was apparently smart enough and persistent enough to earn a PhD from Oxford so he had joined Bruce in a very exclusive club of Wolves with advanced degrees.

His mate was a little more typical on paper. Erik Lensherr was of German ancestry and like many other alpha Wolves had gone into the Army. During their recovery process Erik—according to SHIELD's files—had become almost obsessively possessive of Charles and the two had soon after sealed the deal when Charles went into heat and Erik basically busted down the doors of SHIELD's medical ward to get to him. Judging by what they had been through and the way they had determinedly kept a low-profile afterwards, Tony was sure the last thing that they would want to do was bring the spotlight on themselves by outing him as a Panther but it wasn't a risk he was willing to take.

When they pulled up the long driveway there were already two figures—one standing tall and the other peacefully sitting in a wheelchair—waiting for them out in front of a stone-covered mansion. The thing looked like a castle. It was actually pretty ridiculous, and that was saying something coming from him. As they got closer it seemed like their hosts had similar feelings about their car if their tight expressions was anything to go by. Despite Steve's protests Tony had insisted that they take the red sports car that he had upgraded to have all the best add-ons. Because the best first impression was a memorable one and he had a reputation to live up to.

Steve parked and they stepped out to head directly over to their hosts. Tony lingered behind to observe as Steve strode straight towards the other Wolves. Even from where he was standing, Tony could smell them. Panthers weren't as notorious for following their noses as Wolves were but the scents would have been impossible for any Shifter to miss and hung in the air in thick layers. It was very obvious that Xavier's family had been Shifters for a long time and that they had lived on the property for generations. It put Tony on edge and he ran a mental check to make sure the walls guarding his own scent were holding strong.

He didn't let any of his discomfort show on his face though and strolled behind Steve with as much confidence as his mate genuinely possessed. Steve was already making introductions and shaking hands with Xavier and Lensherr so Tony got in line to do the same. Xavier looked sweet and gentle up close but there was a sharp intelligence in his eyes that Tony immediately recognized because he had seen the same glint in his own eyes. Tony wasn't very familiar with omega Shifters but there was definitely a unique aura around him. Erik Lensherr was almost his mate's opposite. He was tall with dark hair and darker eyes. Where the air almost felt soft around Xavier, walking within feet of Erik felt like running face first into a metal plate. It knocked Tony off balance as he tried to figure out why Steve had always smelled so enticing when this other alpha Wolf's scent was downright unpleasant.

Erik's smile was stiff and cold and his handshake wasn't much different. He seemed to completely disregard Tony as soon as they were introduced, not at all impressed by his celebrity status or wealth, but instead kept his eyes trained on Steve with feigned disinterest. But he couldn't have been more obvious if he tried.

Erik was clearly displeased with having another alpha Wolf in his home and watched every move Steve made when he was greeting Charles. Tony congratulated himself on his excellent decision to close off his scent as he moved to greet Xavier; who knew how unwelcoming their host would be if he learned he was inviting two alphas into his house?

They were escorted into his home and Tony was impressed not by the interior, as opulent as it was, but rather by the fact that Steve wasn't gawking. Apparently he had gotten a little jaded since they had started living together. But the more Tony watched Steve the more he realized that although he wasn't craning his head around to look at the carved banister on the grand staircase they passed or the clawed-foot, marble-topped hall table, Steve's gaze was locked on something else entirely. Or, to be specific, a certain someone else.

Steve and Xavier kept the silence at bay by keeping up small talk as they were led towards a formal sitting room. The omega's English accent seemed far too appropriate for the setting and Tony had the sudden urge to find a way to ruin the spell the Wolf was casting. He certainly didn't feel like contributing to the conversation and it looked like neither did Erik. The sullen alpha Wolf motioned for them to sit when they reached a beautifully upholstered couch sitting across from an equally beautifully made chair with a low-standing dark mahogany table resting in between. Tony flopped down into the seat offered to him and just barely managed to keep from swinging his feet up onto the table but it was more out of respect for the furniture than his hosts.

They had just all sat down when Xavier sat up a bit straighter and blinked. "Ah, I forgot to prepare something to drink. Erik? Can you come with me to the kitchen?"

"Of course." The answer had come immediately and Erik turned back to give them a frigid smile. "Stay here." Xavier's accent was charming but even Tony had to admit that the undercurrent of a continental European upbringing made Erik's voice smooth as silk. It would have been much better suited on a Panther or a Lion. It was wasted on a dog.

Tony glanced over and narrowed his eyes and watched as Steve's hands tightened on his knees when Charles wheeled back out from behind the table. Erik rose to his feet as well and followed close behind his mate but the way Steve tracked Charles with his eyes made it seem like Steve wished he was the one guarding the omega instead. Tony's eyes narrowed even more and as soon as the other two Wolves were out of the room Tony crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't like him…"

Tony knew Steve knew which 'him' he was talking about. Steve huffed out in annoyance and kept his voice quiet. "We've barely even met them."

"Then stop looking at him like that. I'm sitting right here."

"I'm not looking at him like anything."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really, you're going to say that to my face?"

"Tony, yes." Steve growled before wiping his hands down his khaki pants and folding them defensively over his chest. "It's just, been a while since I've been around an omega."

And it was clear that it was having an effect on Steve. His nose hadn't stopped twitching since they sat down and he looked like he was five seconds away from panting like an overheated dog. "It's also been a while since I punched you, but I'm about to settle that one out really quickly."

Steve frowned and opened his mouth to respond but before he could get a word out they both heard the sound of their hosts returning echoing down the hall and his jaw snapped shut.

Tony heaved a sigh as Xavier and Eric walked—or in Xavier's case, rolled—back into the room. Xavier was all apologetic smiles as he cleared a spot on the table for Erik to set down the silver tray he was carrying. "I'm sorry for the wait. Tea?" Tea? Seriously? Was he trying to win an award for being British?

Steve sprang up in his seat with more enthusiasm that a man who hadn't taken a drink in three days would show. "Please, thank you."

Tony declined the cup Xavier offered him with a dismissive shake of his head. "I'm more of a coffee guy." And so was Steve, the kiss-ass.

Once everyone but Tony had a cup to tea in their hands they were able to get down to business. And Tony was all too ready to get it over with. "So, I think we all know why we're here." And they better all remember it.

Erik cast Tony an indifferent glance. He might as well have been a bug on the wall for the amount of care the Wolf paid him. "Of course we do. You are here for the same reason every other SHIELD agent has ever visited. To ensure that we are not abusing the children we have taken into our guardianship."

By the tone of Erik's voice it was obvious their experience with SHIELD hadn't always been an entirely pleasant experience. No surprise there. They could be overbearing. "Yeah, that and to make sure they aren't totally running the place. You Hydra experiments can be hard to handle."

Steve and Erik both snarled out a warning but Xavier just tilted his head. "Do you have experience in such things?"

"A bit." Almost twenty three months now, but who was counting?

"I didn't realize that your philanthropy extended so far, Mr. Stark."

"It does when your," Tony's voice stuttered. He had been about to say 'mate'. But that would have ruined the whole reason behind hiding his scent in the first place. "…when your partner is the one who saved all of you."

Xavier's mouth fell open and Erik's eyes sharpened as a memory sparked. He turned his gaze onto Steve who didn't do anything to deny the charge. "So that is where I heard your name. Agent Steve Rogers. I read it in the reports SHIELD gave me about the raid."

It said a lot that the two other Wolves hadn't connected those dots before. Everyone, human and Shifter, knew that Steve had been part of that raid. No one knew that Tony had been too, but that was beside the point. The media had made a big deal out of Steve's heroism that day and if Xavier and Erik didn't remember any of it that didn't mean that they were stupid. It just meant that they had been so deeply involved in their own recovery that they hadn't been conscious enough at the time to realize what was happening in the wider world.

Tony answered for Steve. "That's right. So where are they, anyway? I figured this whole house would be swarming with special needs Shifter kids."

Xavier only smiled. "I prefer to call them 'gifted'."

"I bet you would…"

Erik narrowed his eyes and growled at Tony. "I wouldn't expect you to understand anything about what we went through."

"Erik…" Xavier quieted his mate with a gentle touch. "And I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Tony smirked as the alpha's glowered. But inside he couldn't help but be fascinated by the omega's natural ability to calm Erik. It was definitely something else…If Steve had tried that with him it would have just led into a loud argument.

"The children are at school and the younger ones are currently upstairs taking a nap. We have a friend watching them. You see, Mr. Stark, while Erik and I are the main caregivers, we have been lucky enough to create a strong network of friends and acquaintances who provide us with the support we need to make sure that every child we have is well cared for. Admittedly the manor has turned into more of a boarding home than a family house but we are able to provide them with structure in a caring, protective environment. It is my goal to help each and every one of them to grow into themselves and their changed abilities in a healthy way knowing that Erik and I understand precisely the struggles they are going through. But it seems that we're out of tea."

Erik immediately made to rise to his feet but Xavier stilled him with a slight wave of his hand. "Mr. Stark, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me in the kitchen?"

Tony snorted and Steve kicked him under the table. Tony bit back a snarl then rolled his eyes. Apparently since Steve was the one who was 'out' about being an alpha that meant he was going to be the one relegated to kitchen duty.

Tony reluctantly stood and trudged in after Xavier, eying the rest of the house as the omega led them to the kitchen. It was a ways away from the sitting room, the layout of the manor probably still a hold-over from when the kitchen was in the part of the mansion dedicated to servants. When they got there though the cooking space had been entirely overhauled to a functional, modern kitchen. Looking around, Tony could see parts of it that had clearly been modified for Xavier when he returned to try and accommodate his wheelchair.

"I can refill the pot but the extra tea is in that cupboard. Could you reach it for me?"

"Sure." Tony didn't really want to but he wasn't a complete dick. Besides, the way he figured it by doing the omega a favor it gave him license to ask a couple of questions.

Mentally cursing the fact that he had to stretch to reach the tea, Tony managed to snag it. "So," closing the cabinet, Tony handed Xavier the bag of loose leaf tea, "why did you really take in the kids?"

Xavier met his eyes for a moment before leaning over the stove to grab the kettle and refill the teapot. "The experiments Hydra performed on me left me sterile. Even as a male, as an omega it would have been possible for me to have a family but now…" he knit his brows then shook his head. "A family is all I ever wanted. I didn't have one of my own growing up, you see. When Erik came to me I knew together he and I might still be able to make my dream a reality, even if the children we raised weren't our own. When I heard of the children needing a home it seemed as if fate was on our side."

Tony fell silent for a minute as the Wolf fussed with the tea and the tea pot. He didn't really have anything smart to say about that. He could hear the hurt in Charles's voice and didn't want to think about what it would be like for an omega who couldn't have children. As an alpha, he couldn't even imagine it. So Tony changed the topic. "What did Hydra do to you, anyway?"

Charles paused before setting the tea pot down on the counter. "Many things. I don't even remember it all, the list was so extensive. But I came away unable to shift but more…empathetic."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The omega pursed his lips. "Omegas—Wolves at least—have always been excellent at reading emotions, of feeling what others feel in a sort of sympathetic bond. Whatever Hydra did to me, it amplified this trait in me."

Tony raised a brow. "Meaning?"

Charles raised his eyes again to meet his gaze. "Put simply, Mr. Stark, it has developed to the point where I no longer even need to see or smell a person to know what they are feeling. To know exactly what emotions are going through their heads down to the point where I have surpassed simply being empathetic and have become an empath. Essentially, if I focus hard enough I can read minds."

Was he making fun of him? But he looked so serious. "I don't understand how that's even possible."

"Neither do I. But it is nevertheless true."

"Bullshit."

"I wish it was. Just as dearly as you wish society could accept you for who you truly are."

Tony tensed and he felt the walls he was keeping up shudder. "What did you say?"

"I'm sorry." The Wolf held up his hands. "I try not to do it without permission, but it seemed as if the only way to show you was a direct demonstration. You needn't worry though, I have no interest what so ever in revealing to anyone that you are a Cat."

"I'm not—"

"Just as I have no interest in your mate. I am quite happy in my current relationship."

"That doesn't prove anything. You could have gotten into SHIELD's files." And he couldn't have missed the way that Steve was looking at him. That made a lot more sense than Charles mind-reading his insecurities.

"The files are encrypted. No one can access them without the proper authorization."

"I could."

Charles paused again and then his eyes widened in surprise. He didn't have to be telepathic to hear the truth in Tony's words. But then his shock settled out into a pleased little smile Tony couldn't even begin to interpret. "I'll have to remember that."

Sensing that they were done, Tony grabbed the tea pot off of the counter and they made their way back towards their respective mates. They remained quiet but Tony perked up as his ears caught voices drifting into the hall from the sitting room.

"Dare I ask what you are doing with a man like Stark?"

They were talking about him. Oh, this was bound to be good.

"There's a lot more to him than you think."

"He's human."

Erik had spit the word out as if it was a curse. Next to him Charles blushed a pretty shade a pink and opened his mouth to murmur an apology but Tony waved it off. He wasn't that bothered by it. He had certainly been called worse. He just hadn't realized how much Erik hated humans, and by extension what he was pretending to be. But it made some sense. Even without knowing anything about the Wolf's interactions with humans before Hydra it had probably mostly been human researchers who had played Picasso with his genetic code and broke his future mate's legs. Erik and Steve both had to hear and smell that they were coming at that point but if Erik thought he was human then he wouldn't know that Tony would be able to eavesdrop.

Steve did though. "No matter what he is, Tony is the best mate I could have asked for."

"To each their own. But you are a strong enough alpha to have attracted any omega you could have wanted."

"And I still chose him."

Tony felt a warm feeling well up in his chest despite himself then stiffened up as he saw a pleased look wash over Charles's own face. Damn mind readers. Xavier chuckled then wheeled out. As soon as he appeared he immediately had Erik's attention. "You two were gone for a while."

Charles gave a small shrug. "We were just having a chat."

Erik and Steve both looked surprised, one of Erik's eyebrows rising imperiously. "About?"

"This and that. The children mostly."

Satisfied that the omega was going to keep their little heart-to-heart quiet—at least for the moment—Tony played along and redirected the conversation. "And what have you two been doing with yourselves?"

Steve gave him a look that said 'You know perfectly well what we were doing' but what actually came out of his mouth was "Nothing much."

"Huh. Would have thought that the two of you would have had more in common, what with both of you being alphas and Wolfy and everything."

Steve sighed but a small smile still played on his lips as Tony sat down so close to him that their legs pressed together and their shoulders bumped. After that, their talk settled out to the logistics of raising children and dealing with the trauma that they went through. Unlike before, Tony allowed the others to take over control of the conversation and was relatively content to fall into the background. Steve was good about keeping him involved just enough, especially when Erik unconsciously—or intentionally, it was hard to tell—cut him out.

Their meeting was only supposed to last an hour and when it started Tony was sure that it was going to feel like a lifetime. But before he knew it Charles looked down at his watch and said that the older kids would be coming back from school soon and Tony and Steve took it as their cue to leave.

They were walked back to the front door and Steve bowed his head a little too deep when he said his good-byes to Charles. "It was very nice to meet you, Charles."

His nod to Erik was much smaller but no less sincere. "Erik." They shook hands and as soon as Steve let go, Erik immediately reached down to wrap his arm around Charles shoulders and his omega folded into him. That suited Tony just fine. In his mind it wouldn't do Steve any harm to figure out that Xavier was off limits.

Tony didn't bother shaking hands, just slipped his sunglasses on and flipped his hand up in a lazy wave. "Take care of those kids."

Xavier nodded back as they walked out the door. "We will, Mr. Stark. We're counting on you to do the same with yours."

Steve looked back over his shoulder and almost seemed to grudgingly follow Tony back to the car. Tony rolled his eyes and jumped into the driver's seat and had the engine revved before Steve even slid his butt all the way into the passenger's seat. He had started to almost like Xavier at the end there but he would definitely be happy if they didn't see either of the other Wolves for another year or two or three.

Steve still seemed entranced as Tony pulled them back onto the main highway headed for home but Tony couldn't bring himself to snap his mate out of it. He just sat there and glared at the road.

After almost half an hour of driving Steve finally seemed to realize something was off and blinked over at Tony. "You're quiet."

Tony sneered. "I wonder why."

"Are you going to tell me or do I just have to guess?"

"You have to guess?"

Steve sighed. "Are you still worked up over the fact that Charles is an omega?"

"Got it in one, give the man a prize."

"I'm not interested in him. Most of all because he's mated."

"'Most of all'?" Tony's fingers tightened on the wheel. "If he wasn't mated, would you have gone for him?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"I know something…" Tony grumbled under his voice.

But of course Steve caught it. "Are you doing this just to be difficult?"

"No. I have many, many other ways to be difficult."

"I don't want you to be upset with me for something you believe I was thinking."

"Fine." They both knew it wasn't fine but Steve seemed all too willing to let the matter drop. But that was alright. It just gave Tony the time he needed to think about how to get him back.

O~O~O~O

By the time they got back to the house the sun had set over an hour ago and the stillness that had settled over his property stood in sharp contrast to the sparks racing through Tony's skin. He was still mad but more than that he was horny as hell because he had figured out how to make sure that he was going to be the only one Steve thought about tonight.

Natasha gave them each a once over as they walked inside and pursed her lips. "So, how'd your meeting go?"

"It went well."

"Fine."

They had answered simultaneously and Steve glared at Tony's dismissive tone.

Natasha smirked. "I'm glad it went 'well'. Before you go off to do…whatever you're going to do I'll go ahead and let you know that Bruce got Peter to bed about half an hour ago. I just checked in on him and he's sound asleep."

Perfect. "Great. Thanks. Now if you wouldn't mind…" Tony made a shooing motion with his hand. Steve's eyes widened at his sheer gall and Natasha raised a brow. But she seemed willing to amuse him for the evening and sauntered back towards the media room.

Steve rounded on him. "What was that about?

"Don't worry about it."

Sighing, Steve shook his head and turned back around to follow after Natasha. "I don't even know—" Before he could take even two steps, Tony reached up and grabbed a tight hold on the back of Steve's neck. Steve flinched in surprise "Tony, what—?"

Tony rushed forward so that he was pressed up against Steve's back and could hiss into his ear. "You didn't think you were going to get off that easy, did you?"

"I, I don't—"

Tightening his grip on Steve's neck, Tony cut off his stuttering and redirected him towards the stairs. "Let's go, upstairs, come on."

Steve glanced back at him and understanding slowly lit his eyes. "Can I get some food first?"

"Nope. March."

And he made Steve march, all the way up the stairs and into their bedroom. He had been thinking about this during the whole drive and he wasn't going to wait another minute. All of that tea Steve drank would just have to keep him sustained until after Tony was done with him.

Within a minute of closing and locking the door behind them, Tony had them both stripped and he pushed Steve down onto his stomach on the mattress. Steve growled and frowned back over his shoulder as Tony crawled up behind him. Tony sucked in a breath then slowly smiled as he nuzzled the curve of Steve's shoulder and nosed the line of his back to the base of his spine. He saw the muscles on Steve's back tense then relax and knew despite Steve's frown that he was okay with this. That, and if Steve really wanted to fight it he was strong enough to flip them over and have Tony pinned instead.

A pleased hum rumbled in Tony's chest and bit lightly at Steve's hips and after a moment of hesitation Steve lifted them up into the air.

Tony's prep job was sloppy but effective and by the end of it Steve was panting, his cheeks flushed red. Reaching up, Tony cupped the back of Steve's neck and pressed his head down into the bed, though making sure that his face was turned to the side so that his mate could breathe. Steve growled again but didn't move to shake Tony off, just dug his fingers into the sheets as Tony moved in and entered him in one swift surge forward.

Tony growled and bit his lip so hard he thought it would bleed to try and keep in his moans as he paused to let Steve adjust just a bit before slowly increasing his pace. Sweat dripped off of his forehead and chest, rolling down his chin and arms and getting all over Steve beneath him. Then a long, drawn-out whimper escaped from Steve's throat and Tony gasped. He leaned down and licked Steve's shoulder blade and tasted the pheromones, his sweat mixed thick with Tony's scenting oil. Steve grunted then whimpered again as the air around them grew thick with the odor.

After that Tony sort of just lost it. He blamed it entirely on Steve though because, really, who could blame him? He came with a strangled growl and collapsed on top of Steve, watching as his mate bit down on his arm to keep in a howl as he reached his own climax. Steve's arms gave out and they collapsed in a heap onto the mattress. Steve grunted then rolled over and wrapped his arms around Tony's waist and buried his face against Tony's neck to bite lightly at his throat. Tony growled and wiggled in Steve's grasp, feeling entirely too oversensitive and Steve chuckled hoarsely and nuzzled behind Tony's ear. "I need to make you jealous more often."

"You're hilarious…"

"Who said I was joking?"

Tony snarled and dug his fingers into Steve's arms. "You try a stunt like that on purpose and I'm stripping you down and fucking you right in front of them. Is that what you want? You want me to fuck you with those dick Wolves watching?"

"Tony! No!" Steve squirmed against his hold but not enough to actually dislodge him. "Knock it off."

"You sure? The idea's growing on me." Tony purred and pulled Steve back in close. "It would show them who you belong to." That it was Tony who reduced Agent Steve Rogers into a sweaty mess, who was able to claim the alpha Wolf in the most intimate way possible. Nobody else would ever be able to get that close. Nobody.

Steve swallowed before a small, teasing smile slipped onto his lips. "Watch what you say, Tony. You're starting to sound a little Wolf-ish."

"Blasphemy."

Steve laughed and Tony scowled and pinched him. "You think it's funny? Just wait until we run into some gorgeous, young, omega Cat and I make eyes at them all night."

Steve stopped laughing but there was still a teasing glint in his eye. "You wouldn't do that."

"How do you figure?"

"Because you're harder to impress than that."

Tony hummed to try and dislodge a lump that had settled in his throat. It turned out Steve knew him better than he thought. Sometimes that still freaked him out a bit. "You don't know what catches my eye."

Steve leaned in to nuzzle Tony's neck again. "I think I do. Plus, Wolves make sure to mark what's theirs. There's no omega in the world stupid enough to let you come onto them with this on your neck." An embarrassing thrill ran through Tony's veins as Steve bit down on the mark he had left on Tony's shoulder the night they mated.

Bringing himself back down from the small high he had just been sent on, Tony let out a long breath then grinned. "But you really got off on that omega?"

It took a moment for Steve to realize Tony had just bounced the topic back to Xavier but when he did he sighed and pushed himself up so that he could look Tony in the eye. "It was just a biological reaction. Drop it."

"I'm not going to drop it."

"Shh." Rolling over, Steve wrapped his arms around Tony and pressed a hand over his mouth.

Tony licked his palm then pried his fingers away in over-dramatized rebellion. "You can't shut me up that easy. I'm not some omega you can push around."

Steve couldn't stop the laugh that burst out of him and he pulled his mate closer to him. "Jeez, Tony. Enough!"

Tony growled playfully and rolled on top of Steve, pinning him to the mattress by the shoulders even as Steve kept his arms wrapped tight around Tony's waist. "But an omega wouldn't be able to wrestle you down like this."

Steve's grin softened. "No they wouldn't."

Tony huffed as he met Steve's eyes, swallowed, then leaned down and pressed their lips together in an unusually gentle kiss. Steve had let his eyes close as he saw Tony beginning to bend his head down and only opened them again when Tony pulled away after a long moment. Their gazes met again and looking into Tony's eyes Steve finally felt like Tony had forgiven him for any misdeeds. "…Can we go to bed now?"

"Yeah. Do I have to move?"

"…No."

Tony was all compact muscle but Steve would be able to support him all the same. "Good."

Letting the rest of his weight fall onto Steve, Tony buried his nose into the crook of Steve's neck to breathe in deep. Swallowing, Steve closed his eyes again and gently bumped his chin against Tony's forehead, at the same time bringing one hand up from Tony's waist to run his fingers through his mate's dark hair. It was a small moment of peace that they both knew they had earned.