Chapter 9
“How’s he doing?” Steve asks as he returns from the walk that had turned into a run, though Tony could only tell from the slight change in his breathing.
“He’s okay. Listen, I know it’s crazy, Steve, the two of us - like you said, what do we know about raising a kid? We won’t be raising a kid, he’s more than that. If he wants to, and I think he does, we could - he told me - hell, you heard him at dinner, he’s smarter than I was at his age, and I was at MIT then. I think, between you, me and Romanov - and Pepper making sure he sleeps and eats -”
“Tony, she can’t even get you to sleep and eat. What makes you think she or anyone else will be able to help him? When I was his age - yeah, I know, different time, but it’s tough for someone who has lost so much to trust anyone. Heck, he might not even want to join our crazy circus.”
“He needs a family, Cap. He needs people who can understand him, help him deal with what’s happened to him. But -” He turns from the window and shrugs.
“Yeah, we shouldn’t tell Fury anything about him.”
“Deal?” Tony puts out his hand for the second time in a week, and Steve nods and grasps it carefully, as he could still see the reminder of their recent battle in the tremor in his friend’s hand.
“Deal. I got plenty of sleep last night, go on, close your eyes and I’ll keep an ear out for the kid.”
“I’m -”
“Tony. We can’t help him if you crash the car before we get him home. Bed. Now.”
“Yes, sir, Cap, sir.” Tony gives him his best mock salute, but whispers as he falls into the other bed, “thanks, Steve. For being here.”
Steve turns to look at him, and shakes his head as Tony is already asleep. “Rest well, my friend.” He drops into the ancient, overstuffed chair and wonders at the idea that his first real friend since he lost Bucky, and the person he would lay down his life for is Tony Stark. He shakes his head again, as he realizes Tony would do the same for him, already has time after time in the few weeks he’s known him. “Sorry I ever doubted you, Stark."
“‘S okay, Cap, I’d doubt me too,” Tony mutters then rolls over in his sleep with a groan, and is soon snoring again.