Apartment Above Stark Industies, Saturday after de-holing

[heroic_jawline]

Steve was grateful to be able to pull the cowl down to shield his eyes as he trotted down the street from the Magic Box and back towards home.

He stepped into the apartment and took a huge, grateful breath of air that felt like home. "How long has he been asleep, JARVIS?" he asked, heading immediately for the lab.

Comments

[imafuturist]

"No more than six hours, Captain," JARIVS replied. "It is good to have you back."

Because sanity.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve grinned at the ceiling. "Thank you, JARVIS. He was awake until then?"

Because he knew how Tony worked.

[imafuturist]

"Yes, Captain." That judgmental AI.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve smiled ruefully to himself. "That sounds right."

He walked into the lab, closing the door carefully and then got barreled over by an ecstatic corgi. "Hey, pal," he said, scratching him behind the ears. "I'm fine."

[imafuturist]

Patriot was in a brand new prototype rocket too! Because Tony. Always because Tony.

"Almos'," Tony murmured in his sleep, hair a complete and utter mess.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve crouched down next to him. "Sweetheart," he crooned. "Time to get up."

[imafuturist]

"Steve?" Tony said sleepily. Then shot up as that woke him up. "Steve!"

[heroic_jawline]

"Hi," he said, beaming at him. "I'm not in a hole."

[imafuturist]

"Unless this is sleep deprivation psychosis," Tony said, grabbing hold of him to clutch and prove he was real.

[heroic_jawline]

"It's not," Steve said, clinging just as hard. "I'm really here."

[imafuturist]

Which. You know, hopefully Steve was prepared to get yanked into a clingy hug. "How?"

[heroic_jawline]

"I flew out in Wanda's store," Steve said.

Which was marginally better than a racoon catapult?

[imafuturist]

Tony just kinda stared at that. "Okay."

Because, yes, it made more sense than a raccoon catapult.

[heroic_jawline]

"It doesn't make more sense if I explain it," Steve said, kissing his forehead. "I need a shower and to brush my teeth for an hour."

[imafuturist]

"Okay," Tony said, still clinging like a possum who needed caffeine.

[heroic_jawline]

"Would you like to join me?" Steve asked.

Tony probably needed a shower and tooth brushing, too.

[imafuturist]

"I would like that," Tony agreed with a relieved little sigh.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve reached out to twine their fingers together. "I missed you."

[imafuturist]

"I missed you too," Tony said as though the insanity in his lab wasn't clear enough to show that.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve looked around with an indulgent smile. "I can see that. You can tell me what everything is for after the shower."

[imafuturist]

Half of it was crazy, so...

"I can do that," Tony promised, wincing as his neck twinged. Falling asleep on the workbench? Not great for him.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve's hand clasped around Tony's neck, rubbing out the tension.

[imafuturist]

"Oh, if you keep that up, I'll fall asleep on you again," Tony murmured.

[heroic_jawline]

"I've missed you being asleep on me," Steve said, tugging him to the bathroom. "I'll run the bath."

[imafuturist]

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to get you out sooner," Tony said, trailing along with him.