This is Hawkbucks, sorry, it's just that it's a sideblog so I can't send asks from it, but! 📝 Steve / Tony, Avengers Assemble 'verse, maybe some hurt / comfort and fluff after Tony returns from the Beyond?
HELLO @hawkbucks !!!!!! i’m sorry this took forever!
***
This is what people don’t know about Tony, at least not all of them: he plans for everything. These little explosions, the rips in time, everything. This is why it doesn’t surprise Steve when Tony shows up; half of him was expecting it, just knew that Tony would be back, somehow, and here he is. (No one ever has to talk about the other half, the half that mourned and knew, in some way, that maybe this was it. Those feelings never have to see the light of day, now that Tony is here and - )
Tony is standing right in front of him and Natasha, nonchalant as ever.
“Tony!” Steve cries out, and it feels like the name is punched out of him, a mix of relief and disbelief and joy roiling in him. Tony grins at him and before anything, more mummies, and Steve is speechless (okay, so maybe, fine, a bit surprised, but who wouldn’t be?), barely moves as he watches Tony, Tony Stark, arc around the air and shoot repulsor beams at reanimated bodies.
And once the dust settles, and Steve feels adrenaline coursing through him, he walks straight up to Tony, wraps his arms around him, and Steve can’t remember feeling this happy, really - he buries his face in the crook of Tony’s shoulder and breathes in before letting go.
*
After everything, Tony leans against Steve as they wait for the quinjet. Steve’s arm is around Tony’s waist, helping prop him up. Steve turns to Tony, sensing an undercurrent of tension, still.
“It’s all right, Tony,” he says, shifting a little so there’s more of him for Tony to lean on, and his arm around Tony’s waist tightening a bit, as well. “I’ve got you.”
Tony smirks, but shuts his eyes as he puts a bit more of his weight on Steve.
Steve basically carries Tony to the quinjet once it arrives, but he doesn’t mind.
“How’s your head?” Steve asks, as Tony finally lies down on the cot and JARVIS begins a quick scan.
Tony’s eyes are still closed when he responds: “never had any complaints.”
Steve thanks every god in heaven for two things: First that Tony is back, and second, that Tony didn’t see his blush.
Suddenly, Tony sits up. “Did I just say that out loud?” he screeches.
Steve gently pushes Tony back down onto the cot. “It’s fine, I know jokes,” Steve says, smiling down at Tony.
Tony smiles back up at Steve, then looks down at Steve’s hand on his chest. Before Steve can move, Tony raises his hand and holds Steve’s in place.
Steve is acutely aware of the moment he stops breathing. He gazes down at Tony’s eyes and can’t bear to look away, and for the life of him, can barely think of what to say, or where to start.
Thankfully, Tony does. “Miss me?” he asks, smirking a little now. He rubs his thumb across Steve’s knuckles and Steve feels fireworks go off in his brain. It’s with these little explosions in mind that Steve leans forward and pauses, barely an inch away from Tony’s face, content to breathe the same air for a moment.
“Very, very much,” Steve whispers, before finally sealing the space between them.
