It was well into winter now, and in a place like DC, this meant the rain never seemed to stop pouring. Tonight was even more intense, with lightning so bright it seemed to illuminate the whole room every time it flashed and thunder so loud and sudden it made it difficult to find a moment of peace. As expected, Michael hadn't reacted well. One of them would put him to sleep, then some time would pass, and the disruptive boom would wake him. It happened over and over again. But David noticed that Michael wasn't the only one reacting. Every time they'd wake, either to his cries or the thunder, Tony would seem uneasy. His movements would be slow, and it would usually take David a few tries before he would respond when he asked if he was okay.

They were back in bed now, and to David's relief, Tony had found it in himself to sleep. It was no wonder that one of the first steps they'd taken in their relationship was simply sharing a bed. Not just because it made it easier for them to alternate checking on Michael throughout the night but also because they both realised just how comforting it was to not sleep alone. It hadn't gone any further than simply nestling in each other's hold while they slept, but it meant so much to both of them to know they could be vulnerable around each other like this.

David noticed that Tony had jolted a couple of times at the thunder, feeling the bunch and release of his muscles beneath his arm. The dark circles under Tony's eyes were more noticeable than usual. David just prayed that he would be able to sleep through the night. Lord knows he rarely did. He squeezed Tony back reassuringly, but it didn't seem to help as much as he'd hoped. Tony was murmuring something, squeezing his eyes shut. David told him quietly that it was just a dream, that he could sleep, that it was okay. As another bout of thunder clapped, he sat up with a jolt.

"Michelle!" He cried.

Even in the dark, David could see his eyes were wet with tears. As he sat up, he could see Tony's chest heaving. His breaths were shallow and rapid, hands shaking as he tried to support himself. Gently, David pivoted Tony and took him in his arms. He felt moisture form on his shoulder as Tony's body trembled against his.

"It's alright, love, it's okay," David said, hushing him quietly.

Tony gripped the fabric of his t-shirt tightly, still desperately gasping to catch his breath. He let out a sob when Michael started to cry from the other room. Whether it was because of him or the thunder, it didn't matter.

"I-I couldn't save her," he said brokenly. "I-If I'd gone out there a couple of seconds earlier, I could have saved her. I-I'm the one who let her go by herself. It's my fault-"

"It's not, Tony. Neither of you could have known."

Michael's wails grew louder, and after a moment, Tony let David move away to go and comfort him once more. When he returned, Tony seemed to have calmed down a little, although his face was still woeful. He was still sitting upright, cross-legged under the covers.

"Is Michael okay?" Tony asked weakly.

He nodded, moving to lie next to him.

"Are you?"

Tony lifted his shoulder.

David moved to envelop him with his arms, his head resting against his chest. Within seconds, Tony had buried his face in his shoulder, crying softly.

"Why do I keep fucking this up?" He said hoarsely.

"You're not fucking anything up, Tony. It's not your fault."

He shook his head against him.

"I-I just wish I could be a better father to him. I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing." He took in a breath. "I can't keep putting pressure on you to do this."

David sighed, holding Tony closer to him and making small circles on his back. "There's no pressure, Tony. I love you, and I love Michael. I'm here for both of you." Before David could even process what he had just said, he noticed Tony was half-asleep. Saying that had come so naturally to him, he couldn't deny it was true. David wondered if Tony had heard him. But unlike last time, he wasn't so afraid of that. With Tony and Michael both asleep soundly, David found it in himself to rest for a few hours too.

He still managed to wake up before everybody else, taking a moment to look at Tony, realising how rare it was for him to be at ease like this. David felt a clutch in his chest, knowing that by being here, he was helping to achieve that. Eventually, Tony stirred against him, mumbling something that sounded like 'Good morning'.

"Morning." He replied, laughing through his nose. "Feeling a little better?"

"Yeah..." Tony let out a long breath, and David felt it rumble against his body.

"I'm glad."

Eventually, they got up, walking together to Michael's room. By some miracle, he was just blinking his eyes open, not upset, not afraid or distressed, but simply peering at the world around him. When Tony lifted him into his arms, he didn't have to force himself to smile, simply holding him to his body, kissing the top of his head and cooing softly. David just stood at the door, looking on fondly.

He turned to him after a beat, furrowing his brow. "You…you said you loved me. Before I fell asleep, you said you loved me."

"I did," David admitted, surprised by his own courage.

"You…you haven't said that before."

"Well, actually, I did once, but you were asleep the other time as well. Is that...unexpected?"

He shook his head, laughing a little. "No, I mean...you've shown me in every way possible that you care about me. It's not that much of a shock." The corners of his lips upturned. I was just hoping that I'd be the one to say it to you first."

Smiling, he met Tony's eyes. "Well, go on, then."

Tony walked towards him. "I love you, David."

"I love you too, Tony."