Secrets Don't Make Friends

Welcome to the Team, Omega

Chapter Six:

The next couple of days were perhaps the most confusing of Tony's life. Okay well, that was patently untrue. Tony had done and gone through a lot of crazy shit in his lifetime. Still, those days left him scratching his head, his shoulders tense with unease. 

That first night he was woken up every 4 hours by the gentle press of Steve's strong fingers against his cheek. Tony wasn't much of a sleeper. There were too many nightmares and too many memories that returned to him when he closed his eyes. So when he did have a restful sleep he was not a fan of being woken up every four freaking hours. He had grumbled, lips turned into a pout, and turned his body away from the chuckling Alpha while he buried his face into his new favorite pillow.

It would be the next day that Tony realized that his new favorite pillow happened to be Steve's abs.

'Okay, Tony. Okay.' Gentle amusement had colored Steve's voice. Tony fell asleep to hesitant fingers carding through his hair.

The next morning Tony awoke, a little stiff and sore, but otherwise well rested. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so well. Groaning, he sat up and stretched, wincing when he pulled on his bruised ribs. His head cocked to the side at the smell of bacon wafting through the air. 

It made his stomach go tight, rumbling gently. Was someone cooking breakfast? Unease wormed its way through him. It was his job to make breakfast. If he allowed someone else to do it... would he still be allowed to go into the city? He was a little over a week away from his goal.

He had been biting his tongue and keeping his head down and if anyone thought a little sprained ankle and bruised ribs was going to stop him from his trip they had another thing coming. It was god damned necessary. 

Tony flung the blanket off of his lap where it lay curled and bunched. Slowly he heaved himself up on his own two feet before setting off toward the kitchen. It was slow but steady progress. He made it halfway across the living room before Steve strode around the corner, shaking his head.

"You are the most stubborn..." Steve muttered under his breath. Which was rich, coming from him. A yelp escaped him as he was once again scooped up into Steve's arms and carried around the house like a toy poodle. Tony was unceremoniously dropped off in front of the downstairs bathroom door.

"There's spare toothbrushes in the closet, and probably whatever else you might need." Steve said as he opened the door to the guest bathroom as if to usher him inside.

Scowling, because he so did not appreciate being treated like an invalid, Tony cocked a hip (nearly toppling over in the process) and met Steve's eyes boldly.

"You're sure you don't want to do that for me too? Think my ankle might be too sprained for me to do it on my own." The sarcastic words fell from his lips before he could think to stop them.

 Memories assaulted him then. 

He remembered a much younger version of himself popping off at the mouth to Howard. He hadn't been able to help himself then either. 

His fingers ghosted unconsciously up to his mouth, as if pressing against the phantom of the fat lip Howard had given him on more than one occasion, while he turned his head and offered his neck in submission.

Steve chuckled. "I mean, if you need help, I'm more than happy to oblige-" His strong hand wrapped gently around Tony's arm, guiding him toward the sink. Tony jerked free, making slapping motions at Steve until he backed off and got out of the bathroom.

"Come into the kitchen when you're done." Steve called over his shoulder, a subdued laugh in his voice, as he quick walked back to the kitchen.

"Smart ass," Tony mumbled, brows pulled down into a scowl as he brushed his teeth and washed his face. At some point today he would need to take a shower, but first he needed his coffee. Nothing came before coffee.