Light of my Life (STONY)

Preparation (Part 1)

Tony's POV

Another few months since Peggy's funeral passed and Steve was finally being himself again. I was in the lab working on some new repulsors. He didn't want to see me, we'd just fought more huge aliens that made their way into New York, this time not caused by Loki. We didn't know what they were, but Nick seemed unnerved. I saw one and noticed it had something inside of it - I couldn't dwell on it, however, because I then killed it before it hit Clint off the side of a building. We were fine, it's just that after a few hours of harsh fighting, we get a little tired of each other. I'd be fine to see Steve but I don't think he would be to see me.

"JARVIS, gimme an exploded view of left hand repulsor." It popped up in the middle of the air and I looked for the issue. It was acting up in battle. I instantly saw the issue and began to take apart the chunk of armour.

"Sir, Mr Rogers is at the door."

"What? Let him in, J." I didn't turn around just yet, I was in the middle of fusing some wires together.

"I come in and you don't even look at me?" He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and I leant into him and smiled.

"Sorry," I replied. "Just fixing some stuff." He let go and I span my chair to face him.

He looked physically exhausted - his black eye was clearing up fine but he had dark under eyes and his arms were healing at a slower rate than normal.

"You okay?"

"Oh, yeah I'm fine, just a little tired."

"Steve, I told you to go to bed, not stay up longer."

"I thought you said you were gonna come up when you're done," he replied. "It's almost 2 in the morning." Because it made the most sense, Steve moved into my room and opened up another spare room - it works out more practical for everyone.

"What?" I looked at the clock and sure enough, he was right. "Shit, I'm so sorry, honey-" He stopped me from talking by picking me up and carrying me to bed.

"I fell asleep while you were gone and when I woke up you still weren't here. I came to find you, I knew you hadn't come up yet." He basically dropped me on the bed and I moved over. He collapsed next to me. I was wearing jeans and a shirt so I got up to change.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to change," I replied. I grabbed some jogging bottoms and put them on before taking off my shirt and getting back into bed. I had my head on his chest and my arm over his waist.

"Tony?"

"Hmm?"

For a second, he didn't say anything. "Never mind."

"What," I laughed.

"You'll find out tomorrow."

"...okay?" He fell asleep, his light snores shattering the silence of the room. 

After being comforted for not 1 but 2 nightmares, morning came over us and the light began to creep through the gap in the curtains. I hadn't slept since I woke up last, which was about 5 in the morning. It was winter now - the sun didn't come up fully until about 9.

It was roughly 8:30 when I got up so I showered and got myself dressed (after stealing one of Steve's hoodies). I heard him get up. I brushed my teeth and noticed he was trying to be quiet, but he fell into the desk and stubbed his toe - I couldn't help but laugh. He was still cursing under his breath when I walked out.

"You okay there?"

"I-"

"Stubbed your toe on the side of the desk, that's lethal."