"Sir, it has been 42 hours since you've had sleep or any form of rest. If I could suggest-"
"Be quiet, JARVIS," Tony mumbled, "'m fine."
"Sir, for an apparent genius, you seem to have quite a lot of moments exactly like this one where it appears you have severely low intellect and are incapable of making good decisions."
Tony scowled. "I'm going to donate you to a community college if you don't watch that mouth of yours."
"Whatever you say, Sir," JARVIS replied, sarcasm evident in his voice.
"Why are you so sassy?" Tony questioned, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Really, the disrespect astounds me."
"Given that you're the one who wrote my code, perhaps you would be more suited to answer questions about my capabilities than me."
"That's enough from you, you heathen," Tony said. "I have work I need to do."
"I'm sure the work could wait long enough for you to get a proper amount of rest-"
"JARVIS, I have ten things that need to be finished for the company in the next twelve hours, and Fury's been nagging at me to finish the updated Helicarrier propulsion systems and the security systems, and then I have to repair the team's things and upgrade them. I don't need to rest, I need to work. And also coffee. Lots of coffee."
"But sir-"
"I don't wanna hear it, JARVIS. I skipped out on the board meeting and I really don't need Pepper even more mad at me, so I need to finish all of these things for her, and SHIELD and the team's upgrades are also important."
JARVIS didn't say anything more, but Tony could practically feel the disapproval coming from him. He sighed and went to the coffeemaker to get himself another cup of coffee, but then he remembered that the coffee machine in his lab was broken. Which meant that he would have to go upstairs to get more coffee. He sighed and headed to the elevator, hoping that the penthouse would be empty.
Of course, it wasn't.
"Hey Stark," Clint greeted. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Coffee machine's broken downstairs," Tony answered. "And I need coffee."
Clint chuckled. "Of course. Coffee. The one thing that would make you venture out of your cave."
"It's not a cave, it's a lab, Birdbrain," Tony retorted.
"You want to have a proper meal now that you've surfaced from the depths of your cave?" Clint asked cheekily. "Oh sorry, I meant lab."
"For Tony, the two words are practically synonyms," an amused voice said behind him.
Tony yelped and jumped, cursing loudly. He looked around to see Natasha, raising an eyebrow at him. "Don't do that, I have a heart condition-"
She held out a cup of steaming coffee and Tony immediately shut up and took the cup before drinking it one go.
"Thank you," he said fervently. "You are my saviour."
"I can't tell if you're talking to Natasha or the coffee you just gulped down," Clint remarked.
"Both," Tony replied, and Clint snorted.
"Figures," he said, shaking his head. "Can I at least interest you in a meal before you go back down to your cave?"
"As good as that sounds, I actually have to-"
"He will eat," Natasha told Clint in a tone that promised bloody and painful retribution if he didn't do as she said.
"Fine," he muttered. "As long as I get another cup of coffee."
Clint snorted again and turned back to the meal as Natasha said, "I'll make the coffee."
Tony looked at both of them a little suspiciously. "Are you guys trying to drug me or something?"
"Trust me, Stark, there are more creative and efficient ways to drug you," Natasha said. "This is simply trying to make sure you don't die of starvation, since you're enough of an idiot to do so, and who knows when you had proper food last."
"I had pizza yesterday afternoon," Tony informed her in a triumphant tone. Then he frowned. "Wait, was it yesterday? It might have been Monday, actually."
Clint stared at him blankly. "Today's Thursday, dude."
"Wait, seriously?" Tony asked incredulously. "When did that happen?"
Clint shook his head. "You're just proving her right the more you talk."
Tony scowled. "Shut up, Birdbrain, no one asked you."
"Now, is that any way to treat the chef?" Clint asked as he set a plate of steaming lasagna in front of Tony, who moaned as he inhaled the scent.
"This is heavenly," he announced after taking a bite. "Barton, I take back everything I've ever said about you-"
"No, you don't," Clint muttered, but he was smiling. "Glad to know you like the meal so much."
"It's amazing," Tony mumbled. "You should cook more."
"I cook a lot, man. You just aren't here for any of the meals," Clint said, a little bit of sadness creeping into his tone.
Tony shrugged. "Well, you know, I'm a busy man."
"You can't be that busy," Clint insisted.
"You'd be surprised," Tony told him, a little bit of weariness creeping into his voice.
"Are you sure you're feeling fine, man?" Clint asked, looking concerned.
"Always," Tony replied, putting on his famous press grin, though his heart wasn't in it at all.
"Here's your coffee," Natasha said, making Tony jump; he had completely forgotten she was in the room. Seriously, did super spies never have an off button?
"Well, I hate to take this coffee and run," he said, standing up, "but I have work to do, See you, well, whenever I see you next."
He winked at both spies before striding off back to the lab.
Re-energized by the lasagna and the coffee, Tony went back to work, and the next forty hours passed in a blur.
"Anddd, there we go. That's all of SI and SHIELD things done," Tony declared. "JARVIS, send Pepper an email with the blueprints for all of these, and also email Fury the Helicarrier plans, and tell him I upgraded the security system. Make sure to include how trashy both were before the upgrades."
He smirked, and JARVIS let out a long-suffering sigh. "As you wish, Sir. I will compose the emails now."
"Thanks, J. Now I only have the team's repairs and upgrades to go."
"Might I suggest you take a break, Sir?"
Tony opened his mouth to refuse but paused. A break did sound like a pretty good idea. And he wouldn't mind some more food.
He sighed. "Alright JARVIS, I'll take a break for a while."
"Perhaps you could also try to get some sleep, Sir?"
Whatever protest Tony had was swallowed as he let out a ridiculously long yawn.
JARVIS didn't say anything, but Tony could practically feel the smugness radiating from the AI.
"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll take a short nap, get some food, and then come back. Happy?"
"Indubitably."
"Traitor," Tony muttered, but he couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his face.
He went upstairs and headed straight for the kitchen, and on the way he passed the living room, where all the other Avengers were sprawled on couches watching a movie.
"Hey Stark," Clint called from where he was lying down. "Nice to see you're still in the land of the living."
Tony smirked. "Yeah, you can't get rid of me that easily, Birdbrain."
He sauntered into the living room and snorted. "Aladdin? Really? Out of all the things-"
"Hey man, don't diss the classics," Clint said. "And it was Natasha's choice."
Natasha smiled threateningly from where she was seated, and Tony decided to refrain from making any further comments.
"Want to join us, Tony?" Bruce asked.
"You should indeed join us, Man of Iron!" Thor boomed. "This moving picture about flying carpets is truly hilarious!"
Tony hesitated, then started to say, "Well I guess it couldn't-"
Only to be interrupted by Steve.
"Stark, have you finished repairing our armour and weapons yet?" he asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Don't get your tights in a twist, Capsicle, they're next on my to-do list," Tony replied in a casual tone, but internally, he was bracing himself for the inevitable fight that seemed to happen every time he and Steve talked.
"Next on your to-do list?" Steve repeated disapprovingly. "What's above on your to-do list than us? What's more important to you than your team's safety? Getting drunk and having your way with women?"
Tony tensed. "For your information, I quit both of those a long time ago," he snapped.
Steve scoffed. "I'm sure that's what you want the press to believe. But in reality, men like you never change."
"I had SI projects and a few SHIELD things to do for Fury. That's what was above you guys on my to-do list. They were important-"
"How do you expect us to be ready to go into battle at any moment if you're too busy with other things- " The emphasis he put on other things left Tony with no doubt as to what Steve believed Tony did with his time, "to repair our gear? Your team's safety can't be joked around with, Stark. You need to take it seriously-"
"I'm not a goddamn robot, Rogers," Tony retorted fiercely. "I can't just magically fix your gear when you want me to. I have other priorities-"
"Goddamn it, Stark!" Steve yelled. "You're a liability! You can't follow orders on the field, and now you're not repairing our gear!"
"Obviously I will repair it," Tony said, rolling his eyes, "just because I can't do it at your beck and call doesn't mean I wasn't going to-"
"Then go to your lab and start repairing!" Steve interrupted, his eyes blazing.
"I will in a bit. I just had to-"
"I don't care about what you had to, Stark! I've had it with you! You are the single most stubborn, annoying, bastard I've ever had the misfortune of meeting! You can never do as you're told! Go back and repair our things, or I swear, I'll kick you off the team!"
"Steve, maybe you should-" Clint started to say, but Tony had already stumbled out of the room and back towards the elevator. He had heard enough.
"Sir, maybe-"
"I don't want to hear it, JARVIS," Tony snarled as he entered his lab, kicking something on the floor and sending it flying. He punched a wall and swept some papers off his desk.
Good. Rage was good. Blind anger was better than acknowledging the burning in his throat, or the stinging of his eyes. Because Tony Stark did not cry. Ever.
Stark men are made of iron, Howard echoed in his head.
You're a liability, Stark.
You were supposed to be my greatest creation, instead, you've been nothing but a spectacular failure!
I've had it with you.
You won't ever amount to anything useful.
You are the single most stubborn, annoying, bastard I've ever met!
Bastard.
Tony slid down against a wall into a sitting position as the tears started trickling down his cheeks. He knew he shouldn't be this affected over what Steve had said, plenty of opponents in business had said much worse than that, but Steve's voice had turned into Howard's and now he was here, his whole body shuddering as he sobbed.
Pathetic. I taught you better.
In his state, he didn't register the door opening and somebody entering the lab until Natasha called out, "Tony? Are you here?"
He didn't answer, just stayed slumped against the wall as heard footsteps approach him.
"Oh, котенок," she murmured. "Come here."
Tony didn't resist as Natasha led him over to the couch and wrapped her arms around him. He just curled in tighter and buried his face in her shoulder as the tears continued to pour down his cheeks.
He didn't know how long he sat there crying, with Natasha stroking his hair and occasionally murmuring soothing words, but he decided that enough was enough.
" 'm sorry," he mumbled, trying to pull away.
Natasha, however, tightened her hold around him. "Sorry for what?"
"Crying?" he said unsurely.
Natasha shook her head. "Crying is not a weakness, Antoshka. And don't be sorry about it. Steve said some pretty hurtful things."
"I mean, I've heard worse," Tony argued. "I've heard a lot worse. I shouldn't be getting so worked up over this."
"Tony, listen to me," Natasha said firmly. "The things Steve said were not okay. They were wrong, and you shouldn't be trying to justify his actions."
"I just-I don't understand why he hates me, Nat," Tony said despairingly, looking at her. "Is it something I did, or said-"
Natasha sighed. "He looks at you but doesn't see you, Tony. He sees, or at least, he wants to see the shred of the past he clings to, but he doesn't, and that makes him frustrated."
"I don't know how I can fix that," Tony admitted.
"You can't," Natasha told him. "Only he can."
"Well then, I guess he'll just hate me forever then," Tony muttered.
Natasha was about to say something, but Tony quickly went on, "Thank you, Nat. But I need to get back to work now."
"Tony, you shouldn't-"
"I have to, Nat," Tony interrupted, sighing. "You know I do."
She studied him for a moment and then got up. "Well then, I'll leave you to it."
Once she had left, Tony slumped against the couch, both relieved and disappointed that she'd left him to go back to his work.
He let out a bitter sigh as he turned to his worktable, wishing he could be anywhere but here. "Time to get back to work."
Natasha marched back into the common room and kicked Steve straight into the groin, which sent him crashing to the floor. She hauled him back up and punched him several times in the face before holding him by a pressure point in the neck that had even Steve wincing in pain, super soldier or not.
"You, Steve Rogers, are an absolute asshole," she hissed, her eyes ablaze with anger.
"Ow, Natasha, can you let go?" Steve asked. Natasha released him roughly and then spun him around so he faced her.
"Look, Natasha," Steve started, "I know I messed up-"
Natasha cut him off with a slap straight to the face. "You bet your ass you messed up, Steve Rogers. What on earth possessed you to go shouting at him like that?! He didn't even do anything!"
Steve grimaced. "I-"
"No, I don't want to hear it," Natasha growled. "You are an absolute moron, Steve. I don't know what possessed you to go shouting at him like that, but you better fix it. This prejudice you have against him, it has to stop."
"Natasha, I don't-"
"No, not a word out of your mouth," Natasha snapped, glaring at him murderously. "You made him cry, Steve. I don't know what you were aiming to accomplish by shouting at him like that, but congratulations, asshole. You made Tony Stark cry. I hope you feel happy."
Steve's eyes had widened in horror, and he didn't seem to be able to speak.
"You're looking for Howard in him," Natasha said bluntly, and Steve flinched. "And I'm telling you Steve, you're not going to find him. Tony is his own person and it's about damn time that you start treating him like one. Stop automatically degrading him just because he isn't someone from seventy years ago. And if you don't? Well, Tony might not do or say anything, but I certainly will. I'm sick and tired of this bullshit. And if you think that I'm bad, then just wait until I tell Pepper."
She smiled at him, a smile full of murderous intent, and Steve gulped. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Natasha was gone in a whirl of orange hair.
Tony had lost all concept of time a while ago, he had just lost himself in a haze of repairing, upgrading, and exhaustion.
He had started hallucinating, oh, he didn't even know how long ago. He hallucinated his teammates, Pepper, Rhodey, and of course, Howard. Howard seemed to be quite the popular hallucination.
"Sir, I must insist that you stop for a rest now," JARVIS sounded worried. "It has been 125 hours-"
"Need to upgrade, JARVIS," Tony mumbled insistently.
"You have upgraded every individual weapon and piece of armour the Avengers several times," JARVIS said. "You must rest now."
"Can't rest, need to work-"
"Sir, if you do not stop working within the next ten minutes, I will shut down the lab until you get an appropriate period of rest," JARVIS declared.
"Traitor," Tony muttered petulantly. "You-"
"Um, is this a bad time?"
Tony turned around to face a harried-looking Steve Rogers and he snorted. "You're back again? Seriously. I would prefer literally anyone else right about now."
Steve winced, but asked, "What do you mean back again? I haven't-"
"And since when did you start talking?" Tony interrupted. "You usually just stand there and look all disapproving."
Steve looked confused. "Tony, I haven't been in your lab for weeks. I don't know what you're-"
Tony cut him off with a groan. "Oh my god, you're not a hallucination. You're the real Rogers. That's ten times worse."
"I'm not a hallucina- Tony, you've been hallucinating?!" Steve questioned, looking alarmed.
"So now it's Tony. Thought it was Stark, last name only," Tony said bitterly.
Steve sighed. "Tony, I'm sorry-"
"No."
"What do you mean, no?"
Tony looked at Steve accusingly. "Are you apologizing because you actually mean it, or because you feel like you should?"
Steve visibly deflated. "You really think that low of me?"
"I don't know what to think about you, to be honest," Tony said. "I most definitely never thought you'd call me a bastard or say that it had been a misfortune to meet me."
Steve flinched at Tony's harsh words, but Tony had absolutely no sympathy for him. He went on, "To be honest, I don't even know why you hate me so much. You treat me like shit, like I'm something at the bottom of your shoe that you have to get rid of. You constantly belittle me, insult me, demand an increasing quantity of things from me and you expect them all ready by the next day. You refuse to acknowledge that I have a busy life outside the Avengers and you regard me as nothing but the team's repairman, and I don't know why the fuck you do that! I'll freely admit that I'm annoying, and can be an asshole sometimes, but that doesn't give you the right to assume where I spend my time or insult me every time you see me."
Steve hung his head low. "Tony, you're right," he admitted. "I've been a total asshole towards you, and the worst part is, I don't even have a good reason for doing it. It's just-ever since I met you, and even when I heard about you before we met, I just constantly saw you as Howard, and I hoped, rather selfishly, that you could be a version of him, so that I could have some part of the past to hold onto. But you weren't Howard, and I was so irrationally disappointed and angry, and I've been horrible to you ever since, all because of my stupid, selfish reasoning that you weren't Howard. For that, I really am sorry, and I hope I can be better in the future.
Tony gazed long and hard at Steve. "Look, if you truly are sorry, then I don't see why we can't start over. Obviously, it would take time, but I don't believe that we can't fix this if we both try. But the thing you gotta understand Cap, is that I'm not Howard, and I never ever will be."
"I know that, and I won't forget it. You're Tony Stark, not Howard, and I really would like to get to know you better."
"Well then, let's start over," Tony proposed, sticking out a hand. "Hey, I'm Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, inventor, and Iron Man."
Steve firmly grasped his hand and shook it. "Hi, I'm Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America, and also known as The Star-Spangled Man With A Plan, though I don't really like that title."
Tony chuckled, and then he fell forward, crashing right into Steve, who easily caught him.
"Tony, you okay?" Steve asked in a concerned tone, adjusting his grip.
"Just a little tired," he mumbled. "Also, why are you so warm?"
"I run a little hotter than normal," Steve explained. "But never mind that, how long have you been up?"
"Sir has been up for 125 hours and 23 minutes," JARVIS announced in a triumphant tone, sounding pleased that he had finally been able to convey that message to someone other than Tony.
Steve cursed, and Tony laughed deliriously.
"Language," he slurred, slumping further down.
Steve sighed. "I'm taking you to bed, Tony."
"Woah, Cap, slow down there," Tony teased, trying to escape Steve's grip and failing. "At least take me on a date first."
"Tony, can you walk?" Steve asked exasperatedly.
"Uh, maybe? Wait, let me try," Tony said. He tried to take a step and would have faceplanted to the floor if Steve hadn't caught him. "I guess that's a no."
Steve sighed, and then Tony was suddenly lifted into the air.
"Hey, let go of me!" Tony protested, trying to squirm out of Steve's arms. Steve seemed unfazed and held him firmly. Tony kept trying, but exhaustion was quickly overtaking him, and he was out before Steve reached his bedroom.
Tony woke up with a groan as sunlight streamed into his room.
"JARVIS, what time is it?" he asked blearily.
"It is 1:06 pm, Sir. You have been asleep for eighteen hours and thirty six minutes."
"What!" Tony yelped, scrambling to get out of bed. "I need to-"
"I would stay in the bed if I were you."
Natasha's voice stopped Tony dead in his tracks. He turned around and saw her leaning against the doorway, watching him. She raised an eyebrow at him and he quickly returned under the covers.
She looked amused. "Good."
She walked into the room and sat beside him on the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," he told her. "Honestly, I really am."
"Probably better than you were feeling eighteen and a half hours ago, right?" she asked in a casually dangerous tone, and Tony gulped.
"Yep," he replied nervously. "Way better."
She hummed in acknowledgement before leaning forward and pinching his arm in a spot that had him wincing with pain. "Next time you pull any type of no sleeping stunt-"
"It won't be good for me, I got it, I got it!" he said hastily as she increased pressure on his arm.
"Good," she said smoothly, before she moved her hand from his arm to his head, where she started running her fingers through his hair. He all but melted on the bed, closing his eyes and humming contentedly.
"Sleep is important, Tony. Don't ever think that work is more important than taking care of yourself," Natasha said softly. "If you're overloaded, don't be afraid to say that you can't do something because you're too busy."
"No one ever believes me," Tony said wearily. "Why should I bother trying?"
"If somebody doesn't believe you, just tell me, and I'll take care of it," Natasha said grimly, and Tony laughed softly.
"Thanks, Nat. I'll keep that in mind."
"I'm glad you and Steve talked," she told him.
"So am I, Nat."
The soothing motion of Natasha's fingers running through his hair was quickly lulling Tony back to sleep, and the last thing he heard before going back to sleep was Natasha murmuring, "Things are going to be better now, Anthoshka. I promise it."
And as Tony drifted off to sleep, he let himself believe her. It was a new day, and after his talk with Steve, the future looked a lot lighter than a day ago.