Stark Towerlet, Sunday morning [Very, very early]

[heroic_jawline]

Well, the good news is that none of Tony's sixteen Iron Man suits escaped the lab to wreak havoc on the island.

The bad news was everything else. The lab was destroyed, the dog was exhausted, and Steve was--not to put too fine a point on it--beat to hell and back. After the final suit had been disabled with Tony still inside it, knocked out and then tied up (and don't think that wasn't going to give Steve nightmares for the rest of his days)--Steve made his way (crawled. There had been crawling.) into the little medical clinic/closet Tony'd tucked into the back of the lab for dealing with lab accidents he didn't want Steve knowing about, barricaded the door, and passed out on the steel floor.

And that's where he still was, many hours later.

[OOC: For the SUPER GROUNDED husband.]

Comments

[heroic_jawline]

"And you just have them."

Like the Capbuster.

[imafuturist]

"Yes," Tony said, bracing himself for what would come next. Any explanation he had wasn't really going to cut it.

And it was fine.

[heroic_jawline]

"How many of those suits were built this week?" Steve asked softly.

[imafuturist]

Oh, don't get soft on him now! How else would he learn from his mistakes? His frequent, incessant mistakes.

"Most of them."

[heroic_jawline]

"Which ones weren't?" Steve continued.

[imafuturist]

"The stealth armor. The Patriot armor," Tony listed, forcing himself to relax from the tension that ratcheted up at the question. Steve was owed this and so much more, after all.

[heroic_jawline]

"Just the two?" Steve murmured.

[imafuturist]

"Do we need to discuss this now?" Tony asked, looking at his untouched slice.

[heroic_jawline]

"Do I look like I'm going anywhere any time soon?" Steve retorted.

[imafuturist]

"You should get some rest," Tony replied, making his desperately needed retreat sound like it was meant for Steve's health.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve gave Tony a long, frustrated look. "We both need rest. And food."

[imafuturist]

"JARVIS will keep an eye on your breathing with the ribs," Tony said, pushing himself up with some force of will to keep steady.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve was too tired and sore in body and spirit to fight Tony's retreat right now. "JARVIS," he murmured. "Tell me if Tony doesn't eat or sleep in the next two hours."

But two could play that game.

[imafuturist]

"I'm not--" Tony cut himself off and smoothed down the edges in his tone and posture like he was trying to be non-threatening. "Get some sleep."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve reached for the painkillers. "Okay," he said softly. He knew he couldn't fight Tony on this right now--he'd spent the last three days fighting Tony--and he sighed in frustration.

"This conversation isn't over."

[imafuturist]

Don't underestimate his ability to dodge it, Steve! At least until he had an appropriate plan to deal with the fallout.

Which was why he just nodded before fleeing to lick his wounds.