" Look Stark," Steve began the next day at breakfast, " I get that you're upset, but that doesn't give you permission to give SHEILD unreasonable demands, then disappear during team night. As if that wasn't enough, you made Clint and Bruce run after you so they missed it too. Don't you get how important they are?"

" Good morning to you too," Clint said, taking a seat at the kitchen's island.

" Well?" Steve repeated, ignoring Clint and staring down Tony, who still hadn't answered. Tony didn't know what he was thinking, but the words that flowed out of his mouth next were disastrous,

" You wouldn't understand being from the olden times and all, but me and Phil... we were a thing before he 'died' . We... uh... dated for a while. That-"

" What do you mean you dated?" Steve snarled.

" We-"

" I know what it means. I mean how can you pose as some type of hero, when you're really just-" The rest of the words that he said were blurred out as Tony couldn't bring himself to listen, instead remembering the same speech he'd gotten those years ago. He ignored what was going on around him, vaguely aware of the fact that Steve had grabbed him roughly and Clint punched Steve in the face. He even heard what sounded like Bruce growing and transforming into the Hulk, but the transformation mustn't have happened because to his knowledge, there was no mass destruction happening around him. Then he felt himself being ushered, well more like dragged, away. The funny thing is, he didn't remember beginning to panic. Yet there he was somewhere in the tower in a full-fledged panic attack, all because the Captain had brought up some unpleasant memories. His mind was racing so fast that he even flinched away from the gentle hand that was trying to calm him. Some part of his mind knew it wasn't a threat. It was Clint. Clint's good. Though, the rest of his brain was telling him that it was bad. Funny thing panic attacks. At some point, he began to feel tired, probably from panicking too long, and slowly he became more aware of the world around him. His cheeks were wet and his mouth tasted disgustingly like salt, which likely meant he'd been crying. How pathetic.

" It's not pathetic." Someone familiar whispered, but of course, it was. Having a panic attack just because Steve grabbing him brought up some bad memories. Not that Steve would mind being compared to such a fine and honorable man like his father. It was his fault, it was Tony's. His fault for being this way. His fault for bringing it up. He's too old for this shit.

" It's not your fault and you're not too old," a different voice assured him. That must mean he was thinking aloud, " Yeah. You are."

" Sorry," he told them.

" Don't be. Feel better now?" Bruce replied as Tony leaned onto him for support, all he got as an answer was a nod. Then Tony abruptly got up and walked over to his desk,

" I have work to do."

" I'd rather you not. Your hands are injured."

" I- I need something to do," Tony admitted, not looking up at either of them. Bruce looked at Clint and sighed,

" Take it easy, okay?... JARVIS, tell me if he does anything that would threaten his health." With that, Bruce and Clint left Tony to his own devices. When they went back to the common floor, Thor and Steve were missing. Natasha informed them that the two had taken it upon themselves to kick the captain out of the tower and Thor had escorted him put, to ensure that there was no trouble. Later that night, Bruce had JARVIS shut down the lab, forcing Tony to join them for dinner and a movie. Natasha watched as Bruce rewrapped Tony's hands, as a few stitches had come a loose and his bandages soaked through. She knew better than to ask him what had happened to his hands; that was a question for Bruce and Clint. Thor, on the other hand, was quite vocal about the fact that homosexuality was a normal thing in Asgard and that he had a right to be upset upon learning that his lover- ex, Tony corrected- was not truly dead and that he had been lied to for so long. He also shared how angry and disappointed he was in Steve for not accepting his teammate and for his violent behavior. It went without saying that everyone was in agreement that Steve would only have a chance of being accepted back into the tower if Tony was comfortable with it. By the end of the night, Tony was dozing off on Bruce's shoulder, breathing calmly with a content expression on his face. This was what it felt like to be safe.

AN: So here you go. The last chapter of the first story. Let me know what you think and feel free to send in requests. Also yes, I know I never made it clear whether Bruce was his boyfriend or if Clint was. Let your imagination decide that. Other stories will be clearer on the topic, but I felt this one deserved a special sense of ambiguity.