Recovering you
Recovery had been slow-, slower than Tony liked anything to take, his hand hadn’t properly healed so Pepper had banned him from his workshop, and somehow had FRIDAY on her side
“FRIDAY!, open the workshop doors!” Tony banged on the reinforced glass door with his right hand, grunting and groaning as the AI ignored him once more and simply urged him back to bed
But the bright side to recovery was that it had Steve visiting, since the hospital room two weeks ago, Steve’s visits had been regular, every night at 9, like clockwork.
And so once again, Tony lay sprawled out on his sofa, doing some stupid recommended hand work out, “it’ll strengthen your hand quicker!, get you back in inventing shape” the Doctor, some old guy who swore to have been a friend of Howard’s in his later years, Tony couldn’t care any less, he just wanted out of that stuffy hospital room and now he’s wishing he could get into his stuffy workshop.
And just like clockwork, interrupting his thoughts, FRIDAY binged to life, ‘silently’ announcing the arrival of Steve, Tony shot up, sitting like an eager kid on Christmas as he waited for Steve to walk into the living room.
“Tony” Steve smiled and made his way over to the man sitting upright on the sofa, his leg still wrapped tightly in a cast, Tony shuffled down a little to make room for Steve, who plopped down next to him, the two sat in a somewhat awkward silence for a moment before Tony coughed and attempted to start a conversation
“So-, how’s Norway?” Tony’s left hand shook slightly but he gently placed it right over it, okay so his hand wasn’t doing great but Steve didn’t have to know about that.
“Cold and cramped-“ Steve let a laugh fall, it sounded so natural and removed any sort of tension that hung in the air.
“You could always come-“ Tony looked to Steve and the look, a soul crushing one that dawned Steve’s face, shut him up immediately
Steve’s eyes softened for a moment and his body tensed, “Tony not this again…, you know it isn’t possible, it’ll risk-“, “too much, yeah I know” Tony had heard this speech a million times over the last two weeks and had just chosen to accept it at this point
“How’s your hand?” Steve’s eyes roamed over Tony till they fell on the hand that he’d seemingly hidden away.
“Fine, great actually I was in the lab before you came” Tony flashed his best smile, no one had to know what was going on beneath the surface, literally.
“Tony”
“Steve, it’s fine!, I promise” Tony moved his right hand to take Steve’s, a warm smile spreading to Steve’s face as he did.
“So!, what have you been up to in Norway?” Tony turned as best he could to be face to face with Steve
Steve’s face held a coy smile “actually Uhm, well we’re heading out soon, to go to Budapest”
Tony’s face fell, “I- what?, why?, don’t you like the cramped and cold caravan life?” He tried to make a joke but deep down he was worried
“Natasha has something she needs to do..” Steve gently squeezed Tony’s right hand, a small smile tugging on the engineers face
“You don’t have to go with her do you?” Tony’s eyes met Steve’s, and for the first time since they’d started talking again, Tony had the urge to lean in, to kiss Steve liked he’d never once kissed him, to beg him to stay, to not leave once more, Tony didn’t know why, maybe it was that shimmering look in Steve’s eye.
“Tony, we just went over this-“ Steve’s tome was thick with annoyance but for some reason he couldn’t move, he was stuck to the seat, his eyes glued to Tony’s.
“I-, I’m risking everything just being here, Natasha-“
“Natasha can handle herself!” Tony tore his eyes away, he hadn’t notice but his hand had begun to shake once more, “I’m sure I can work a deal out!- or rhodey can, he has conne-“
Steve’s eyes were trained fully on Tony’s hand now, “Tony-“ , Steve’s hand fell on Tony’s left arm, “your hand Tony”
And suddenly Tony was all too aware of the shaking, his body began to ache with fear, he felt sick to his stomach, he didn’t want anyone to know that he was not recovering in a Starkly manner
“It’s Fine Steve-, It Just-“ Tony tried to remain calm and collected, attempting to free his hand from Steve’s grip, but at last Steve was Steve, relentless.
“Tony-, tell me you’ve spoken to your doctor about this!, it can’t be good for your hand to be like this, two weeks after you’ve been ‘treated’” Steve’s eyes were burrowed with curiosity, as he stared down at Tony’s shaking hand
“Cap-“
“Don’t Cap me Tony!, your hand is shaking like a counter during an earthquake!, Tony… I’m here to help you and yet-“ Steve tried to sympathise, push through to Tony, the Tony he once knew, the Tony who would tell him anything if Steve levelled with him, if Steve just looked at him long enough.
Tony sighed but his teeth grinding as he did “Help me!?, if you were truly here to help me you wouldn’t act like I’m going to burn you every time i get a little closer!, you wouldn’t make up all these stupid excuses to not stay here!” Tony’s anger came from no where, rushing up like an erupting volcano, his words were spat before he spoke, “You’re going farther and father away from me!, away from us!, you said-“ Tony choked on the words he was spewing, his mouth seemingly full, his hand shaking fast, he could feel it on his leg, his heart was thrumming like a train, he swore he could hear it.
“That’s not fair Tony-“ Steve stood, an advantage he had over Tony at the moment, or so he thought that was till Tony wobbled off the sofa, sweeping up a crutch that he had tucked away underneath the marble table, “Careful Tony…” Steve even in his slight anger felt he still had to look out for Tony.
“Steve! I’m not some fragile vase that’ll smash if you tap it” Tony’s teeth gritted, his eye brows knitted, and well he suddenly felt like Bruce, “Look just just.. just go!, don’t fucking come back” Tony turned as swiftly as possible, unfortunately he’d forgotten about the crutch and had gotten it trapped behind a table leg, the way he turned sending him flopping to the ground, smacking his head roughly against the small circular rug that hid underneath the table, small details of Tony’s ‘living room’ often went unnoticed by him till he was flat against them.
“Tony!” Steve’s warm hands were wrapped gently around him as he pulled him from the floor, placing him back on the sofa, Steve squatting down infront of him, “I told you to be careful” Steve snarked slightly as he looked over Tony, his hand coming to rest on Tony’s cheek.
Tony for a moment allowed himself to lean in with a smirk playing on his lips, Tony’s face looked dopey, as he fell completely silent, his eyes falling closed as his breathing seemed to slow just so and god did Steve suddenly wish he could kiss him.
“Don’t look at me like that” Tony’s voice suddenly filled Steve’s hears, it was soft this time, no edge of anger, just soft, as though he was falling asleep, Steve hadn’t even noticed that Tony’s eyes had opened, too lost in the pale plumpness of Tony’s lips, shinning against his tanned skin.
“What?” Steve finally spoke, the words clinging in his throat, there was more he wanted to say but atlas, he held back, biting his tongue to avoid embarrassing himself.
“I said” Tony sat up, moving from Steve’s warm and welcoming palm, to give himself his confident persona back, a smirk tugging at his lips, “stop looking at me like you want to devour me, because”, suddenly Tony leaned forward, his warm breath hitting Steve’s face, a rosey tint forming his face, “I can’t promise that I’ll be able to stop-“
And suddenly Steve was falling backwards, his legs giving out as he hit against the table, an oof sound falling from him as he did, Tony snorted at him before tipping his head back, “You should go, Cap, before we stop waiting for the glue to dry…”
Steve had no idea what Tony mean except that it was time to go.., and so he did, patting Tony on the shoulder and flashing a Boy Scout smile as he fell from Tony’s view.
Steve climbed onboard the rusty old helicopter he’d taken here, it reminded him of a utility helicopter, except the army would laugh if this was to be brought in, it could barely make the journey, but Steve had faith, the last he’d crashed he’d survived so he liked his chances.
When it began to take flight, he heard the familiar buzzing sound and saw the familiar smoke cloud form except this time there was a lot more than last and it seemed to struggle to get further up, great.
“Ah!, come on-“ Steve smacked lightly at the console and nothing, he had no way to contact the team, he’d decided to never bring his cellphones with him when visiting Tony for some stupid reason he couldn’t remember right now, so he begrudgingly got out of the helicopter, head hanging low as he walked back into the penthouse, making a mental note to bring a cellphone next time.
When he re-entered the living area, Tony wasn’t there so he headed for his bedroom, nope, so he decided to head down to the workshop, he was sure Tony wouldn’t be dumb enough to try and work with his hand like that but again it was Tony
When he began to descend the stairs he heard yelling and what sounded like banging so he sped up, missing the last few stairs as he landed behind Tony
“FRIDAY! OVVERRIDE! OVERRIDE!, I SWEAR ILL-“ suddenly Tony’s banging hand was pulled away from the door and held in Steve’s
“What are you doing!?” The two spoke in unison, but Steve’s voice powered over Tony’s who rolled his eyes and sighed
“I’m trying to get into my workshop but” Tony’s head shot up, “SOMEHOW MY OWN TECH IS AGAINST ME!” Tony’s eyes burrowed before they fell to Steve, “what’re you doing here anyway?”
“My uh- the uh-, the helicopter I use has uh broken down and I don’t have a cellphone with me” Steve then looked at Tony’s left hand, which was safely tucked away in his form fitting jean pocket, “and you’re in no shape to fix it so I was wondering if-“
“Jesus Steve if you talk any slower I’m gonna turn into a capsicle aswell!” Tony nudged Steve’s shoulder lightly, making his way upstairs, “yes,you can stay here, come on, I’ll have FRIDAY let Nat-“
Suddenly Steve grabbed his shoulder, “no- don’t uh- they don’t know I’m here”
And Tony turned, turned so fast his casted leg nearly gave way, but Steve held him strong, “what do you mean?, where do they think you go at night?”
Steve sighs, looking to his feet, “they uh- they think that I’m checking on Wanda and Vision…”
“So I’m a secret?” Tony smirked, something about being Steve’s secret maybe his stomach flutter, taking him back to their earlier days where they snuck around the compound and the tower, where they hid from the press in dark alleys after battles, holding close to one another.
“Well then, if that isn’t a throwback.”
“Heh, I guess it is” Steve moved his hand from Tony’s shoulder to his arm, slowly moving down to take Tony’s hand, and he swore he was shocked by a spark, it was then he noticed he was holding Tony’s left hand, and the shake was so calm he hadn’t even noticed it, did it have something to do with him?