Sentiments
“Tony.”
The man opened his eyes and spotted Steve, Natasha and Rhodey standing by his door. His hand reached for the remote and he inclined his hospital bed upright while a protective hand held on to his darling Morgan, who’s head was tucked safely into her father’s chest.
“What happened?” He asked immediately, noticing their uniforms.
Steve sighed. “We found Thanos.”
Tony’s breath hitched and his hand shot to the siderails of his bed. His silence beckoned Steve to continue.
“We failed Tony.” Tony had guessed that from the depression that was radiating off the trio. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Captain America look so defeated. “We only found him because he’d used the stones again, but he’d used them to destroy them.”
Tony’s grip on the siderail grew tighter and he held Morgan tighter to his chest as the young girl started to stir. “And?”
“Then Thor killed him,” Natasha finished. Her eyes were wide and frantic, and she almost looked like she couldn’t yet believe the events that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
A huge breath escaped Tony as he released the handrail and shakingly stroked Morgan’s hair. The sleepy girl looked up at him. “Da!” she squeaked. “Da!”
He gave her a wobbly smile and kissed her forehead. “It’s gonna be ok, Morguna,” but he never figured out if he was trying to convince her, or himself.
Later that night, when Morgan was sleeping in the cot next to Tony’s bed, he lay awake and stared at the ceiling.
“Can’t sleep?” he turned his head to the door to find Steve staring at him.
“Clearly you can’t either,” Tony mused, moving his bed to be upright again.
Steve chuckled sardonically. “Mind if I chat?”
Tony gestured to the chair. “Help yourself.”
Steve pulled up the chair, making sure to be as quiet as possible, lest he wake up the only innocent creature in the building. “I know you hate beating around the bush,” he started, hands rubbing together as he placed his words carefully. “So I’ll get straight to the point.”
Tony looked at him and pulled off his glasses, eyes piercing into Steve’s. His body might have been weak, but his spirit was still a force to be reckoned with.
“I’m sorry, Tony.”
He raised his eyebrows in surprised, before a wistful smile took over his face and he sighed.
“I’m sorry about everything that happened in Siberia, and everything before that,” Cap was rambling now. “I’m sorry I never had the courage to tell you about your parents. I’m sorry that our friendship ended that way, and I’m sorry for breaking the team apart. I’m so-”
“Cap,” Tony interrupted firmly. “Stop.”
“It’s been eating me up, Tony.” Steve ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
“Cap,” Tony said again. “I’m past that.”
Steve looked at him warily. “You were just yelling at me all morning about that.”
“Yes I was,” confirmed Tony. “But then we failed again. Peter, Pepper and Morgan were the three most important things in my life. I just lost two of them, and that deserves more of my emotion than the squabble we had a few years ago.”
Steve leaned back with a small smile. “A squabble that destroyed an airport huh?”
“Eh, we’re superheroes,” Tony dismissed with a wave, before he looked at Steve with a serious eye. “But I know you lost people too, Cap.”
Steve nodded, another sigh escaping his lips.
“Bucky and Sam were good men,” Tony said softly. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“And I, yours,” Steve replied, voice heavy with emotion. “Wanda and Vision are gone too,” he pointed out.
“That is both of our losses,” Tony replied thickly reaching a shaking hand out.
Steve immediately accepted the gesture, and they both held on tightly, sitting in a moment of silence, warriors mourning their lost.
“Let’s respect the dead,” Tony whispered, a tear sliding down his cheek. “And live well, eh? Let’s put this behind us.”
“I’d like that,” the Captain replied. “I’d like that a lot.”
“And for what it’s worth,” Tony smiled and shook Steve’s hand. “I’ve a lot to apologise for too.”
Tony sat on the stairs of his porch, sipping at his coffee while Morgan ran about the front yard, gathering the autumn leaves into a pile and then jumping into them. He stood up when he saw a car pulling up his driveway and smiled.
“Nat!” He yelled into the house. “Look who’s finally here!”
“Unca Steeev!” Morgan yipped as she bundled to the driver’s door.
“Hey kiddo!” Steve grinned as he slid out and picked up Morgan before tossing her in the air, making her squeal in delight.
“Careful Cap,” Tony smirked, walking over. “You break it, you buy it.”
Steve just laughed as he put Morgan down and faced Tony, the two men meeting in an embrace. “It’s good to see you Tony,” Steve sighed.
“You too, Cap.”