Masks

The sky had lightened from solid black to a softer blue and purple. A pale gold glow was visible on the horizon.
Tony let the curtain drop, and turned back to scrutinize a still-dozing Bruce. He'd gotten dressed, when he woke, though Bruce was still in only boxers, wrapped up in a quilt like an oversized burrito.

Neither had slept much. They'd had more interesting things to do...but in the moment's heat, he'd missed noticing a subtle change in his Omega's scent.

He leaned in closer, breathing in Bruce's warmth, the smell of his skin.

The sharp, cut-grass smell he'd not-quite been aware of, until now, filled his nose and mouth.

"...Oh," softly. He put a careful hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Love, I need you to wake up. We have something to talk about."

Bruce came awake, sensing Tony's uneasiness. "Tony? Caro, what--"

"You're in a full heat again."

Bruce stilled, mouth opened to deny it, but the words never emerged.
Omega fertility ran on a much longer cycle than Alpha or Beta. An Omega--male or female--might be fertile once in a year or a year and a half, and that only for a handful of days. His being half of a bonded Alpha/Omega pair meant his cycle tended toward the shorter end of the spectrum, but even so...

"Full heat" was the most likely time for an omega to become pregnant. He met Tony's gaze, seeing the same mix of hope and yearning in the man's eyes as he felt himself.

"Do you want to try again?"

"Do you?" Bruce countered. "I haven't been taking contraceptives, you know that. The last heat was almost four years ago...I had thought I might be at the end of being able to conceive anymore. So this might be our last shot, if..."

Tony sat next to him, the genius' tone without its usual snark or defensive façade.

"Catrin was a surprise, but also the greatest gift we ever got. Hard as it's been, I never regretted our taking the choice that led to her. So yeah...I...a big part of me--" he chuckled, seeing Bruce's eyebrows shoot up-- "Not that part!--wants to try. But I wouldn't be taking the worst risk."

"It was worth it." Bruce's voice was husky.

"So, are we agreed? "

"Yes and no," Bruce replied slowly. "Tony, I don't...think I can go through sending another child of ours away. I'm not sure you could, either."

"Do you have to?" a voice asked unexpectedly from the hall. They looked up to see Catrin standing just outside the door.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," she apologized. "I wanted to talk to Dad about something, and ...I didn't want to intrude.
Pa, even if it wasn't always safe around you, you have other family now who could look after a baby--or help protect one.
I'd pity the idiot who tried to get past Ms. Potts, the Colonel, or JARVIS. Or me," she added in a low whisper.

"Not the Avengers?" Bruce sat up, giving her a questioning look.

Catrin's eyes narrowed in thought as she considered her omission. Why hadn't she listed them? She hadn't really thought about it, but--

. "...If you could trust them, with everything, you'd have done it by now. You don't."

Her blunt observation hit the mark. "No," Tony agreed. "I don't, or not all of them. "

He flicked a glance at Bruce. They were silent for a long moment, and then Bruce nodded, holding out both hands.
Tony hugged him tightly, heart too full for words.

They drew apart, slightly, though Bruce's arm remained firmly 'round Tony's waist.

"What did you need to talk to us about?" Bruce asked, looking to Catrin.

She tensed, and said, "I---Will you come look at something? I...think someone might've tried to get into the house while we were gone."

That dispelled any lingering sappiness. Bruce reached for his clothes, his expression darkening.

* * *

He'd been beaten by an unarmed opponent who was hardly more than a kid.

A Beta , on top of that!

No, Steve Rogers was not a happy little soldier.

His arm itched horribly in the cast. Another hour of this, and he'd tear the blasted thing off, healing correctly be damned.

He'd tried to kick down the door, to no avail. All it had gotten him was sore, probably black-and-blue toes.

He'd tried reasoning with Banner, with Hogan, even with JARVIS (when it even responded to him, which wasn't often).

With no success.

Hogan had simply pointed out that he wasn't an Avenger; his only boss was Tony Stark.

Banner had ignored him.

JARVIS...

The cell was empty, but not silent. The AI had been playing 'music', or so Tony called it, deafeningly loud for the last couple of
hours.
What the hell was a 'Black Sabbath'?

If this was Tony's idea of how to treat teammates who had a legitimate concern, someone needed to school him in proper teamwork and leadership.
Steve should have taken the inventor in hand months ago, he realized now. This whole power play was a bad sign.
Hogan *had* let it slip that Stark would be back sometime tomorrow. The sooner the better!