Above Stark Industries, Saturday morning

[heroic_jawline]

Steve woke up swimming in his pajamas--not really new--and warm--which was new. He blinked his eyes open, glanced around and then padded out into the kitchen. "Hello?" he called as he opened the huge icebox, which was full of food.

"Anyone here?" he asked, pulling out eggs (why were they being kept cold? So weird) and milk and fruit and carefully avoiding the giant bottle labeled "protein drink" which sounded super icky.

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[imafuturist]

Tony had, shockingly, woken up in a bed rather than the couch or down in the lab. Which would be for the best, all things considered.

He crept down along the hallway, keeping quiet until he could see who was talking. "Hello?"

Who were you and what were you doing here with him?

[heroic_jawline]

Steve gave a little wave. "Hi? You're not Bucky."

Super observant, Steve.

[imafuturist]

"I'm Tony," he replied like he wasn't sure how to respond to that right away. "How did you get here?"

[heroic_jawline]

"I woke up in bed over there," Steve said. "It was warm."

It was still warm, even over by the windows. Weeeeeird.

[imafuturist]

Tony peered past him like he needed to confirm there was indeed a room that way. Only then did he nod once in solemn agreement. If there was another kid who wasn't crying, he probably hadn't been kidnapped.

Probably.

"What's your name?"

[heroic_jawline]

"I'm Steve," Steve said. "There's so much food here!"

It had really caught his attention.

[imafuturist]

"Nice to meet you, Steve," he replied by rote.

Tony paused, straining to hear anyone who might get them in trouble for being in the kitchen without Proper Supervision. "It's a kitchen. Of course there is."

[heroic_jawline]

"Not always," Steve said seriously, finding a loaf of bread, too. He was going to eat enough to give himself a stomach ache!

[imafuturist]

He really, really was. Steve, don't do this to yourself!

Tony bit his lip, looking at the pile of food Steve had assembled so far. "Shouldn't we get someone to cook that for us?"

[heroic_jawline]

"Why?" Steve asked. "It's just eggs. 'snot hard."

[imafuturist]

Yeah, that would be Tony giving him such a dubious look. "I'm not allowed."

For a variety of reasons.

[heroic_jawline]

"Why not?"

Child supervision: not really a thing in the 1910s.

[imafuturist]

It was sort of a wonder Steve survived to adulthood. And not just because of all the illnesses.

"They never let me," Tony said. "And my father says it's for girls to do."

[heroic_jawline]

"Funny. Ma says if you don't cook you don't eat," Steve said, "and sometimes she works nights."

[imafuturist]

Tony considered that before nodding at the logic. "My mom would say that's what we pay the cook for."

[heroic_jawline]

"You have a cook?!"

Steve was so, SO impressed.

[imafuturist]

Tony nodded, but didn't seem nearly as impressed. "What does your mom do?"

[heroic_jawline]

"She's a nurse," Steve said, smiling.

[imafuturist]

Tony did look impressed by that. "Are you going to be one when you're older too?"

That was totally how it worked.

[heroic_jawline]

"I want to be a soldier," Steve said.

[imafuturist]

"Then I'll build weapons for you," Tony replied with a nod. See, he was making friends! He thought. Maybe.

[heroic_jawline]

"You can't cook in the kitchen but you can make weapons?"

Steve looked dubious.

[imafuturist]

Steve clearly didn't grow up in a Stark household. "It's what my father does. I'm supposed to do it too."

[heroic_jawline]

"Do you want to?" Steve asked.

[imafuturist]

Tony shrugged, looking at the eggs instead. "I'm supposed to."

He would probably join the circus if given the chance. And then they'd have two former circus performers on the Avengers and that was one too many.