"Okay Boss, the coast is clear, Captain Rogers has been out of the building for 45 minutes on his run. You should be able to go upstairs and avoid meeting him for at least another half hour."

Tony let out a sigh of relief, "Thanks Friday." He knew that it was childish to be avoiding Steve (and borderline creepy since it involved keeping tabs on Steve's location) but Tony had discovered that the less he saw Steve, the less scared he had to be.

So Tony had Friday help him with "Operation Avoid Steve" over the last week that they had all been in the tower, and it had worked surprisingly well—Friday would let Tony know if Steve was gone from a place Tony wanted to be, and she would give him an ETA on when Steve would get back.

Did Tony think it was a little pathetic that he couldn't be in the same room as Steve? Maybe. But he knew that it was better than having a near panic attack every time he saw the man.

So Tony walked upstairs and joined Clint and Nat in a Steve-free room as they sat at the kitchen bar, fighting over the last bite of an omelet—their assassin reflexes being put to good use. Bruce, who had arrived with Thor yesterday, was also there, pouring himself an unhealthy amount of coffee.

Tony broke into a grin at the sight of his science buddy and began to do the same, "Good morning everyone!" He eyed Bruce's coffee and set out pouring himself his own cup. "Ah coffee. The sweet balm by which we shall accomplish today's tasks."

Clint, who had won the battle against Natasha, and was chewing the omelet victoriously, shouted out, "Pour me a cup, would you?"

"Black?" Bruce questioned.

"Yep!"

"Like his soul" Nat finished, still bitter about losing the omelet. Tony was still smiling, it was moments like this that he got to enjoy so rarely as Steve was so often at the center of the group. Sure it was a lonely life, and he desperately wanted to learn how to get along with Steve, but Tony knew that Steve hated him, and he didn't want to risk getting into another fight again.

And Steve wasn't Tony's only demon. In every group setting Tony was reminded of the vision Wanda had made him see—everyone dead because of Tony. It wasn't something he needed to be reminded of frequently. So, Tony found himself hanging out with his friends less and less.

Tony took a huge gulp of coffee while Nat began an interrogation, "We haven't seen you in a while Tony, are you doing okay? How have you been?"

Tony broke away from his thoughts and set his mug down. "As long as there is coffee in the world, how bad could things be?"

Nat just rolled her eyes. Though she was used to Tony never giving anyone real answers, it could still be irritating. "A real answer please" she demanded.

Tony grew sober, his eyes became serious and widened, "That was a real answer Nat." He nodded slowly for emphasis. "You should never joke about something as serious as coffee. Ever." Tony and Bruce stifled back a grin.

Clint finished his own cup and set it down with a bang. "How can you be so sarcastic and so right at the same time Tony?" He wasn't hiding his own grin; Clint loved how Tony could get under Nat's skin with his sarcastic comments and answers.

Tony shrugged and tried to look modest: "I'm just talented like that." He poured more coffee into everyone's cups and set out to make a fresh pot. As the others carried on the conversation Tony's mind focused on his menial task, it was better than focusing on how tired the short interaction with his friends had made him.

Yes, Tony was having fun joking around with them all, but it took a lot of energy to pretend that he wasn't exhausted from lack of sleep or weak from a diet based of coffee, granola bars and more coffee.

And every time Tony was with the team, he was always reminded of how they had all fought each other. He was always reminded of the way he had come home from Siberia to an empty tower, feeling abandoned by the ones he had loved the most.

No, Tony didn't blame them for how he had felt, but the memory was seared into his mind.

Tony excused himself and made his way down to the lab. He was lost in his own thoughts when he bumped right into a sweat-soaked Steve Rogers—back early from his run.

"Jesus!" Steve exclaimed, just as startled as Tony. They both jumped back in surprise, though Tony did so with more commitment.

Tony's heart was racing and his knees were wobbling, but somehow he managed to only look caught off guard—not terrified. Really Steve? Of course you doesn't follow your strict schedule the one time I need you to. Still, Tony replied without missing a beat: "Not Jesus, Steve. Actually, it's just me. Although I've been told the resemblance is startling."

As Tony usually left the room whenever Steve entered, this was a rare and happy meeting for Steve, and he wanted to make it last. He tried to give Tony some space but he was so shocked at seeing him at all, that in doing so he tripped clumsily over his own feet.

Tony's hands shot out to steady the super-soldier, surprising both himself and Steve. As soon as Steve was upright, Tony's brain caught up to his body and he was scrambling away, trying to move quickly, but casually, towards the exit.

Steve called after him, "Thanks for the rescue, Tony"

"Everyone needs a hobby." Tony shrugged and risked turning around now that he was at a safer distance from Steve. He could barely hear himself over the pounding of his own heart.

Clint decided to interrupt their awkward exchange, granting a small mercy to the two men who were dancing around each other on thin ice. "I thought your hobby was preening?!"

Toney flipped him the bird and a charming grin. "Two hobbies," he conceded and then fled the room. Steve just looked at the others helplessly, they all shrugged and went back to their own tasks.

Steve was left alone with a decision to make: Follow Tony and demand to have a real conversation, or go another day wondering if they would ever mend their broken friendship.

Steve took a deep breath and made a decision.