Just as Tony suspected, Steve had been astounded by the technology in his lab. Tony couldn't get enough of Steve, and how his face seemed to genuinely light up with each new gadget Tony showed him. It was almost like he came from a different time, when none of this technology could have ever existed.

And man, Steve's reaction was priceless when he saw Tony's car collection. He practically drooled over the 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster. Tony finally pried the blond away from the car to show Steve his amazing collection of vintage rock albums in his music study, but when they passed the hallway that led to the indoor pool, Steve slowed to a stop, "What's down there?"

"Oh just, you know, your average gym, rec room, that kind of stuff. Boring."

"I'd like to see it, if you don't mind. The S.H.I.E.L.D. gymnasium here in LA is surprisingly lacking."

Tony hesitated. He didn't want to be reminded of his weak condition right now, not when he was feeling so good. But one glance at Steve's hopeful expression and he nodded. He led Steve down the chlorine-smelling hallway to the glass doors that entered onto a swimming pool just under half the size of an Olympic standard. They walked through to another set of glass doors that held the sparring center and basic gym gear.

Tony glared at the boxing ring where Happy had easily taken him out when Steve spoke, "This is great! Why don't we stay here for a bit?"

Back in the lab, Tony had admitted to Steve that he just wanted to spend the day inside, and Steve had agreed that they should, despite Fury's orders (winning a few more points in Tony's good books). Tony nodded minutely, "I'll just get changed. Do you need some clothes to borrow?"

"Nah, I'll just take off my tie and jacket. I don't want to get too worked up."

Tony walked to the changing room, grabbing a tank top, running shoes and a pair of shorts. He sat, tying his shoes for far too long. The thought of Steve in an undershirt got him moving again, and he walked slowly back out into the gym, feeling unaccustomed to the lack of confidence he felt.

But he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Steve, punching away at a 300 pound bag like it weighed less than a hundred. Those arms. THOSE ARMS. THOSE GOD DAMN ARMS.

Suddenly, Tony was faced with a new problem, and little Tony was not cooperating. He took a few steps back, hiding himself from Steve's view, and leaned against the wall, willing himself to calm down. What was it about this guy? He thought Pepper had been the only exception, but Steve made him feel completely unsure of himself, not to mention the uncontrollable arousal. Tony's own mind countered: Did you see those arms? Who can blame you?

Tony shook his head and then gave himself a light slap on the cheek, "Shut up, you." He jogged on the spot for a minute, stalling, before he made his way back out to the gym.

Steve stopped when Tony approached, and he held the bag still to stop it from swaying like a pendulum. "You alright, Mr. Stark?"

Tony took in the light sheen on Steve's face, his once neatly coifed hair now tumbling down over his eyes. His voice cracked, "Yes. Yep, I'm fine. Dandy, even."

"No offense, sir, but you're not a very good liar."

Tony might have been surprised by this statement because usually he was very good at hiding his emotions, but this man seemed to have a way of opening him up that he wasn't entirely comfortable with. Tony tried to adlib, "Just a little dismayed by the fact that you don't seem the least bit winded after beating the crap out of that punching bag."

Steve grinned, "Like I said, I'm good at what I do. But you're not getting off that easy."

Tony wanted to slap himself again. Why wasn't he able to control himself around this guy? Steve must be reading him like an open book.

The look of genuine concern Steve was giving him did something strange to his insides, and he went to sit down on the steps leading up to the boxing ring before he spoke up, "I'm just frustrated...and embarrassed. This used to be one of my favourite places in the house, but now..."

Steve sat down next to him, and Tony could smell a subtle cologne and light musk that had him distracted all over again.

He shook his head, continuing, "But now it's just a reminder of everything that needs to be done."

Steve probed, "Like what?"

Tony sighed, and looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "After my surgery, I just didn't bounce back like I expected. I mean, I'm not in a lot of pain or anything, but I hardly have any strength left in me. I can barely function in my suit, and I hate it." He paused, feeling like an idiot. Here he was, complaining to a guy who's probably seen hundreds of comrades die or lose their minds in the war. "You know what? Forget I ever said anything." He tried to stand up, avoiding Steve's gaze, but the other man reached out, holding him from going any farther.

"Hey now, listen. There's no judgement going on here. I mean, please let me know if I'm overstepping your boundaries. I would like to help if I can, though."

Tony rested in Steve's grip, feeling warm inside but now for a different reason. He settled back, facing the other man, "Please, you're not overstepping any boundaries. If anyone is, it's me."

Steve just sat there, a warm, open expression on his face that made Tony want to spill his soul to the guy, so he trudged on, "It's just...those guys who did this to me? They're still out there. It makes me feel more vulnerable than I've ever felt in my life, even when I was stuck in that cave. I mean, fuck, I haven't even been able to recover all my old weapons off of the black market, and now these guys? They have the arc reactor. And it's my fault that they have it too! They could destroy the entire city once they figure out how to harness the energy properly. I put everyone in this mess because I was an irresponsible jag off, and now I can't do a thing about it. To top it off, me and Pepper haven't been doing so well, and she has every right to be angry with me. Everything feels beyond my control and I don't even know where to begin."

"Well you're wrong about one thing, Mr. Stark. It's completely within your power to get better."

Tony looked up at Steve with doubt written over his features, and Steve continued, "You were trapped in that cave in Afghanistan, knowing you faced certain death if you failed, and that your weapons might be used against your home country. You had a giant magnet attached to your chest because without it, you would die. And against all odds, what did you do? You built this." Steve tapped on his arc reactor, "you built this amazing device that not only kept you alive, but allowed you to escape and build a suit that would help you change the world. And I'm guessing that you came out of that experience a hell of a lot more decent and knowledgeable than when you went in."

Tony looked up at Steve, a sad smile on his face, but he was nodding in agreement so Steve continued, "You were trapped there for almost two months, and despite almost everything working against you, you managed to make it out a better and stronger person. And you might never have created the Iron Man suit if you hadn't gone through that experience! Why can't this experience be the same? It's been almost two months since your operation. Why not see it as another opportunity instead of a set back? And this time you're in the comfort of your own home with the people who care about you and can help you."

Tony had his eyes trained on Steve, "You're right."

"And Mr. Stark, if you're having problems getting back in shape, I would be glad to help."

Tony smiled as he stood up and held out his hand to Steve, "Captain, you've got yourself a deal."

Steve shook his hand, a smile spreading over his face.