Apartment Above Stark Industries, Saturday morning [Oh God, so early]

[heroic_jawline]

The sun was barely peaking up over the horizon when Steve popped up out of bed. "Tony," he said, shaking him awake. "Tony, Tony, Tooooony."

Steve was even more of a morning person when he was nine! Good luck with that, Tony.

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[heroic_jawline]

Steve beamed at him. "Thank you!" he said excitedly, bouncing up and down until he accidentally worked himself into a coughing fit.

[imafuturist]

"Oops, oops," Tony said, keeping his panic shoved down as he was out of the bed and hunting for that inhaler from last time Steve had been younger. "Sit. Breathe for me?"

[heroic_jawline]

Steve nodded, big blue eyes fixed on Tony as he concentrated on breathing more slowly.

[imafuturist]

Tony, wearing an oversized and borrowed set of clothing from Steve returned only a moment later with the inhaler to hold up for him to use. "In. And out."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve nodded, breathing in carefully and closing his eyes as the medicine did its work.

[imafuturist]

Tony rubbed Steve's back, waiting for his breathing to even out again. "Wow, hot cocoa gets quite the reaction, huh?" he teased gently.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve let out a slightly watery laugh. "Maybe a little too excitin' this morning," he said softly.

[imafuturist]

"Okay, new plan is that you sip cocoa while I make oatmeal and bacon."

He probably couldn't burn the bacon, right?

[heroic_jawline]

"Okay," Steve said, looking resigned. "But I clean up after, okay?"

He had to pull his weight.

[imafuturist]

"You can dry the dishes," Tony granted him. "I hate drying."

[heroic_jawline]

"And do the washing," Steve said, doing the wee version of Captain America's righteous jaw clench. "I can reach the sink now!"

[imafuturist]

It was insidious. "Alright, and do the washing."

All five dishes.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve nodded. "Good," he said stubbornly.

[imafuturist]

Tony sighed, ruffling Steve's hair for that. "C'mon. Before one of us starves."

[heroic_jawline]

"I had dinner last night, so I'm good for a while still," Steve said, nodding stoutly.

Welcome to the Great Depression, Tony. Give him a hug.

[imafuturist]

STEVE, WHY?

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," he said, soldiering on. "Especially for a growing kid."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve nodded again. "That's what Ma says. She also says that the lumps in oatmeal are the best part."

Sarah was not a brilliant cook.

[imafuturist]

So, basically it was hereditary.

"I'll see what I can do about the lumps for you," Tony said, starting for the kitchen to cook a meal on par with Sarah Rogers.

[heroic_jawline]

Not that high a bar to clear, frankly.

"Thanks," Steve said, following along behind with his hand still grasping the inhaler, shivering slightly.

[imafuturist]

For him it might have been a pretty reasonable bar.

"You're washing dishes. Me cooking is only fair."

[heroic_jawline]

"It's important to be fair," Steve agreed, pulling a chair over to watch Tony cook and wrapping his arms around himself to keep warm.

[imafuturist]

"Are you cold?" Tony asked, getting the bowls out and dishes out.

Steve, this way lay madness.

[heroic_jawline]

"I'm fine," Steve said. "My pants're nice and long."

And built for a supersoldier twice his size.

[imafuturist]

Tony frowned for a moment before saying, "Stay here," and disappearing back into his room to hunt down a sweater or three.

Which were brought back and placed next to him. "It's nearly winter. You should bundle up."

[heroic_jawline]

"But the heat's on," Steve muttered, already halfway into the first sweater.