Post AoU for starkingenuity

[starspangledspandex]

He's old. Old enough to have settled down. Old enough he's letting other people save the world and only stepping in from time to time. There's no 'Honey I'm home' when he steps through door. There's silence and quiet. He makes dinner for one. His bed is cold. He sits and reads the paper while he watches the world move on outside. There's laughter in the hallway. Footsteps. No one knocks on his door. He eats leaning against the counter in the kitchen. Alone. All alone. 'I got no plans tomorrow night' echos in his mind.

Suddenly, no one is on the streets. There are no numbers in his phone. Everything empty and gone and there's just Steve. Steve standing in nothingness. 'Man out of time' 'Nothing but a soldier' 'You can't live without a war' 'Go home, Steve'

He jolted awake, hand raising to rub at his face and it shouldn't have been a nightmare at all but it is anyway. How alone he felt in this century. His friends helped, they did, but they couldn't always be here. He lived and breathed his life as an Avenger. What else did he have? Nothing. He shook it off, like he always did and got dressed, laced up his boots. Most of his team was out of the picture right now. Off doing whatever they did on leave.

Steve paced his room at the New Avenger facility, paced the hallways and spoke to the Agents that were here. He took a walk outside and thought of Tony. The billionaire visited every once in awhile but it'd been awhile. He didn't even know what the man was up to now but Steve... Steve needed to connect with someone to shake off the dredges of his loneliness, someone that wasn't just working here, someone he had a connection to.

So he called Tony.

Comments

[whothehellisbucky]

Not what he'd wanted to hear but it was better than being thrown back in the ice box and for that he was grateful. "Sounds... Better than I was thinking," Bucky said softly and glanced towards the door. Someone was outside. Someones, plural. He could hear them. "Guess it's time to face some of the music."

He put a hand to Steve's shoulder and drew him into a brief hug of thanks before going to meet with his guards. Sam and Natasha would take care of him.

Steve needed to rest.

[starspangledspandex]

No, they weren't putting him back in a box. Steve would fight tooth and nail if they even thought about it. He could hear them moving out there too but he trusted none of them would make a move unless he actually conveyed needing it.

"If you need anything, I'm here for you Bucky," Steve smiled as he stood, returning the hug. "The team is on your side too, Natasha, Sam, Wanda. We'll get this figured out."

Steve did need his rest but standing, staring at his bed alone, he almost couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't have many people he could call to bother right now either. Everyone was busy with Bucky and he couldn't pull them away from it. He dug his phone out and tried to call Tony again.

[whothehellisbucky]

"It's the second time he's called, Boss," Friday said tentatively when Tony told her to put the call through to voice mail. "And you ought to be resting."

"Resting is the last thing I want to do," Tony muttered and turned his music up. It was Friday that took it upon herself to answer Steve.

"Captain, would you happen to be near the Tower? You have been the only person that's gotten the boss to sleep since I came online." That's the trouble with AI. They learned to think for themselves.

[starspangledspandex]

He waited for Friday to argue with Tony. Steve didn't know if that was actually what was going on but he could only assume that was what was taking so long. It meant he probably wasn't going to get to talk to him. Again.

Steve rubbed his hand over his face at the question, sitting heavily down on his bed and he sighed, "No, I'm sorry, I'm not. I'm at the New Avengers facility." Two hours out and he couldn't leave. "With Bucky in custody, I can't leave. I can't trust his programming won't come back. They'll need me if he snaps."

[starkingenuity]

The AI was obviously thinking of what to do. "I see. Well, he'll tire himself out and pass out I'm sure," she said, though she had lost a good bit of her cheerfulness. She wasn't quite as formal as JARVIS, a bit more childish. Tony had created her a long time ago, his girl Friday. "Hopefully away from his tools. And not under the engine."

She paused again, perhaps expecting humor. When it didn't come, she didn't sound so offended.

"Perhaps if I--". There was the sound of Guns N' Roses piped in loudly. "Oh! Boss! Sorry I accidentally connected the Captsin!" Yeah. Whoops.

[starspangledspandex]

No, Steve didn't find that image funny whatsoever. JARVIS would have been a little more understanding of the soldier's plight. He knew that Tony regularly fell asleep while working but he didn't realize he usually put himself in so much danger when he did. It was an obvious guilt trip but it was working. The only problem was he couldn't actually leave. He couldn't.

He jerked the phone away from his ear at the sound of 'music' blaring through the speaker. Ow. Accidentally, right, like Tony was going to believe that.

"I just wanted to know how you were feeling," he said, a bit loud and he hoped Friday would at least think to cut the music.

[starkingenuity]

If Friday had a neck to choke-- Tony really would have considered choking her at this point. He groaned before the music was cut, grateful that all of this was just audio.

"I put my teeth under my pillow and the tooth fairy came," Tony said, sounding like there was cotton in his mouth from all of the swelling. He'd lost two molars but they were in the process of being regrown to insert back into his mouth.

Without Helen, sometimes it was hard to get the technology in. Perhaps in a few hours he would feel more whole.

"How's your bestie?"

[starspangledspandex]

He frowned at the comment and he heard that it was muffled. It didn't surprise him that Bucky knocked out a few teeth. Steve was a mess after a few punches. He could only imagine how Tony felt even if Bucky was only using his hand on someone that wasn't as sturdy.

They were all lucky it was only a few teeth.

Steve was quiet for a moment. "He's a mess," he said finally. "Keeps drifting in and out. Wanda got in his head to sort things out but it's only a temporary fix."

[starkingenuity]

"Good, probably just as good as a shrink," Tony commented before he pushed away from his console and gingerly sat back down.

He was still dealing with some broken ribs and enough swelling to make him look terrible. His eye was still swollen shut as well, so his stereoscopic vision wasn't exactly all it was cracked up to be. It made any work he was doing all the more dangerous.

"Guess you're not holding up too well?" He sounded tired, Steve did. "Should get a little Sokovia Scramble for yourself."

[starspangledspandex]

"I don't think it works the same way," he responded with a small shake of his head. All it did was put it off. Eventually, he would have to deal with the memories.

He was tired and he couldn't deny it. Steve rubbed his hand over his face. "Honestly, I've had enough her being in my head."

Steve trusted her but he didn't need someone fiddling with his head. He was still trying to shake off the effects of the first time and she couldn't fix his problem. Steve also didn't need her picking up on anything else.

[starkingenuity]

Tony snorted a little, but he probably shouldn't have. Any push of his ribs felt like pure fire crawling up his sides.

"You didn't have to check in on me. Friday's being just great, waiting on me hand and foot," he said, not quite teasing but certainly not really feeling into this conversation simply because he wanted Steve to be here. With him.

He couldn't ask for that. He couldn't even mention it.

[starspangledspandex]

"She says you haven't been sleeping," Steve told him because it was only fair to tell him that his AI was a traitor. He didn't know where he was going with this. "You'll heal faster if you do."

He really wasn't sure he would sleep well but that wasn't the point.

[starkingenuity]

Great. His AI was telling on him again. He lifted a hand to rub at his eye but thought better of it. His sigh was telling. "I've had trouble sleeping for a long time. Usually I have more to do--" Tony smirked. "Should have had you be late for your leave," he said, but the chuckle was mostly disheartened and not at all amused. "Shit happens. Whoops, language, sorry." It wasn't even slightly amusing. There was no backing to those words at all.

[starspangledspandex]

He was silent as he listened to the other man talk about his sleeping problem and debated with himself. He didn't like to air his problems out but if Tony was going to be open with him maybe he should be too and he said, "Yeah? I've had trouble since Maximoff got in our heads."

Steve wasn't amused either. They were both too tired for it.

[starkingenuity]

Too tired and maybe they both wanted something more than they could have right now. Tony could likely go to the New Avengers HQ but that might be presumptuous. Perhaps if he said it was just for better medical care... But that might be a lie.

"It's been before that for me," Tony said. "But she didn't help. I never told you what she showed me. Remind me to sometime."

[starspangledspandex]

There was still the problem of Steve's bed not being nearly big enough for the both of them. On top of that, people would question what he needed a double bed for when he wasn't dating anyone and that brought up a dozen more questions.

"I'll be sure to do that," he murmured. There was no reason for them to still be on the phone but he couldn't bring himself to hang up yet. "Thanks for getting me out of here the past few days. I needed the break."

[starkingenuity]

"My turn to visit next then right?" They couldn't make a single bed work but Tony could bring over an inflatable. It wasn't even about the sex. He hurt too much for the sex right now.

Leaning back in the chair brought a flare up of pain that he swallowed back.

"Could bring some real pizza." It was just a social visit. Nothing else. It wasn't because he hated being alone right now.

[starspangledspandex]

"I think so," he agrees with a nod. He really didn't care if they have to shove onto a single bed if he managed to get some sleep. He understood now why it wasn't enough room for sex but Tony was a mess right now.

He tilted his head, trying to judge whether the man wanted to come or he was just offering because Steve sounded like he needed company. "You know I'll eat pizza if you bring it."

[starkingenuity]

"I'll see what I can do," Tony said and hung up, spinning around in his chair before he had Friday get the Legion together to pack up the quinjet, call ahead to let Fury know that he was done being prideful and could use a full work up on his broken ribs, and order the pizza.

He still insisted on flying the plane itself and he was announced into New Avenger airspace an hour or so later. Natasha came knocking on Steve's door to let him know that Tony arrived with pizza and was in the infirmary. She looked half amused.

[starspangledspandex]

He hangs up too and sighs, before standing up to change into something more comfortable. He assumes that Tony is actually going to show up so instead of crawling uselessly into bed, he meditates. It won't help much but it's something and it passes the time pretty quickly.

Steve answers the door, a little confused as to why Natasha is personally coming to tell him and tries hard to ignore the amused look. She knows something is going on and he isn't fond of it. He heads down there anyway because he is the Captain.

"He's on his last leg, isn't he?" Steve says, as he heads into the infirmary. "There's no way he'd come otherwise."

[starkingenuity]

For a moment, Natasha said nothing. Steve's discomfort was amusing and if he thought she couldn't see it, he was deceiving himself. When they fell into step together, one and a half strides for Natasha to every one of Steve's, her voice fell ever so slightly. "Sam should have stayed with him," she said. "He's worse off than the initial examination, yes. He didn't take care of himself. You'll see."

Tony had more or less stumbled out of the quinjet. They had all expected his face to swell, but the idiot had been bleeding internally. It was nothing to operate on, but he was forced to bed immediately and the doctors were fussing with him.

When Steve arrived, Tony was still arguing with the medical staff, especially when they threatened to tie him down. He did look pretty bad though. Bucky had done a number on him.

[starspangledspandex]

Oh, he assumed she could see it. He was just in denial. He didn't want to deal with the problems that might arise if the team thought he was sweet on Tony or rather, noticed he was sweet on him. Steve wasn't even sure exactly what it meant yet. He couldn't have this getting back to Bucky without knowing for sure.

Steve caught up pretty quickly on the argument and said, "I don't think he needs tied down unless he abuses his privileges." He added the last part with a little bit of a grin, "So long as he stays put, he can be free. Fair?"

[starkingenuity]

The doctors seemed charmed by Steve. Hell, Tony was charmed by Steve too but that didn't mean that he had to like it! "You're running a dictatorship are you now?" His words were slurred and he looked worse than he had when he pressed his forehead to Steve's chest looking for comfort. "A doc-tatorship? Do you people not know who I am?"

Bucky and Sam were both right. Tony didn't shut up. He ended up getting himself strapped down anyway as the regenerator was passed over him.

It would help with the swelling. And the bones. And improve that pretty face of his.

[starspangledspandex]

"Once an Avenger, always an Avenger," he told him frankly. "Which means you still get to follow my orders. So yeah, I guess so. If that's what it takes to get you healed up."

No, he didn't. Steve never once disagreed with either of the two. He stayed and watched as the man got himself fixed. He did like his pretty face.

"I think you promised me pizza," Steve said thoughtfully, leaned against the wall facing the bed. He was trying to be out of the way and trying to keep Tony distracted.

[starkingenuity]

"Speak to the lady that confiscated it," Tony complained, sighing as he felt the swelling start to go down. The man was impossibly stubborn. He really needed to just lay back and relax.

Natasha pointed to the ten stack of pies in the corner.

"Nice of you to bring us some, Stark," she said, that knowing smile back again when they let Tony sit up so that they could work on his ribs.

She was a minx. Tony couldn't say anything about it either without giving it away that he had brought it for Steve. "Just save me a box," he muttered. "I'm starving."