The One Where Steve Is Reckless
Tony sets the first aid kit down on the counter loudly, and Steve jumps. He can feel the anger radiating off of Tony in waves, and he shrinks away.
“Tony-“
“Shut it.”
Steve blinks in surprise, mouth hanging open. Tony’s rummaging through the first aid kit, pulling out various bandages, salves, and ointments, lining them up on the counter that Steve was sitting on. A moment passes, and Steve decides to try again.
“To-“
“I’m sorry, did I stutter? I said, shut it.”
Tony looks up to glare at Steve, mouth pressed in a flat, tense line. Frowning, Steve falls silent. He knew that Tony had a right to be upset- he hadrun into a fight with no backup- but it was necessary. Backup wouldn’t have gotten there fast enough, and if Steve had waited any longer, people could have gotten hurt. But he keeps his mouth shut, instead letting Tony clean him up. Tony’s surprisingly gentle, for how angry he is, dabbing Steve’s various cuts and scrapes with disinfectant and carefully bandaging them up.
Tony’s the first to break the silence, “What you did was stupid.” Steve nods, opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by Tony. “Shut up. I don’t want to hear it. It was stupid and reckless and unnecessary-“
“Tony, people would have gotten hurt- they could have died-“
Tony slams a hand on the counter, meeting Steve’s somber gaze with his own fiery one, spitting his words out, “Youcould have died, Steve!”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“I think you didn’t think about it before you rushed in like the stupid, self-sacrificing idiot that you are!”
“To-“
“You know what else you are? A teammate. A brother. A fucking boyfriend.”
Steve’s mouth snaps shut as Tony continues, looking almost desperate in his rage, “Did you think about that?Did you think about how many people would be fucking lostwithout you? Did you think about how your stupid, stupid actions would affect everyone else? Did you stop and think for just a fucking second before you ran in?”
Tony’s voice is shaking at this point, his anger crumbling away to paralyzing fear. His voice drops to a desperate whisper, “Steve, you could have died.And no one would have been there to help- Iwouldn’t have been there to help.” He’s looking up at Steve with wide eyes full of unshed tears and panic, and Steve can do nothing but fold him into his arms. Pressing a kiss into brown curls, Steve murmurs, “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.” Tony stays there for a minute, sniffling quietly before he pulls away and wipes the tears from his cheeks. Avoiding Steve’s eyes, he starts packing the first aid kit away. “I know that you can’t promise that it won’t happen again. I know that. Just-“ Tony takes in a shuddering breath, “Try not to do it again. Try.” He puts the kit away and glances at Steve, forcing a watery smile. “I have heart problems, you know.”
Steve laughs quietly at the half-hearted joke and eases himself from the counter, taking Tony’s hand. “I’ll try. Okay?” Tony squeezes Steve’s hand and nods before tugging him from the bathroom to the bedroom, where he sighs heavily. “Get in bed- I’ll be there in a second.” Steve nods and complies, unwilling to upset Tony any further.
He sighs as he sinks into the mattress, pulling the covers up to his chin. He listens as Tony goes back into the bathroom, listens as Tony brushes his teeth and cleans himself up quickly. He listens as Tony mutters quiet equations to himself in an attempt to calm himself. Steve’s drifting after a few minutes, dozing lightly. He rouses when he feels Tony slip into bed behind him, only to settle when Tony shushes him softly.
Relaxing into the firm hold that Tony pulls him into, Steve nearly misses the quiet words that Tony whispers behind his head. “I love you, Steve.” Steve can barely get the words out before he’s asleep,
“I love you, too.”