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blancheludis · 5 years

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A/N: @stony-week - day 1 - june 9th : “you gave me a home”

Fandom: Marvel, MCU, Avengers Relationship: Tony Stark / Steve Rogers Tags: Team as Family, 2012 Avengers, Getting Together, Friendship

Summary: When Tony builds a time machine capable of sending Steve back to his own time, Steve has to decide where home really is. The answer, he finds, is not actually that hard.

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“Rogers,” Tony calls loudly just as the debrief for their latest mission is over. “I need you for a minute.”

Steve does not have a minute for Tony. One minute will turn into an hour of yelling and that into a night of going at the punching bags in the gym and that into a week of avoiding each other. It is always the same. Tony does something reckless in battle, ignoring Steve’s command, and then goes about his day as if nothing happened.

If not for JARVIS’ subtle arguing, Steve would have never known he dragged Tony to training with cracked ribs last week. It is not healthy. More importantly, a whole lot of these incidents could be avoided if only Tony would trust Steve to make the calls.

“I think we should eat something first,” Steve says, knowing that Tony likes to lock himself up in the workshop and forget all about food when he is angry. He nonetheless stops walking and turns towards Tony, never quite able to deny the genius anything. “We’re all still winded from –”

Tony sidles up to Steve and gestures dismissively. “You don’t get winded.” With a nudge, he gets Steve to fall into step next to him. “Although I might have the honour of seeing you speechless for the first time today.”

Steve is rendered speechless a dozen times a week around Tony. There is just no getting used to this whirlwind of a man. Tony is always thinking, always working on making the world a better place. He is also infuriating and too easily able to make Steve feel insignificant. The tech is not even the only thing that Tony is light-years ahead of everyone else.

“All right,” Steve sighs. “What’s so important?”

Humming under his breath, Tony leads them towards his workshop. He does a good job of appearing cheerful, but Steve has seen him really excited about new pieces of equipment he has made for the team. Despite them going to the workshop, Steve thinks that is not it. Tony loves to show off what he made, he loves to hear their opinion to make it even better the next time around.

Now, though, Tony’s steps are firm, unwavering, the way he walks to the quinjet when they are going on a mission. His right hand is sneaking up towards the arc reactor, only to fall down abruptly when Tony notices what he is doing. Tony is nervous.

They filter into the workshop, where Tony walks straight towards a workbench, while Steve lingers uncertainly close to the door. If Tony has a problem he wants to discuss, Steve might not be the best person to do that with. They make a sport out of arguing as often as humanly possible.

“Catch,” Tony says suddenly and throws something at Steve.

Only his quick reflexes save the thing from falling and possibly breaking. Steve wishes Tony would stop being so careless with his life and goods. When he looks at what he is holding, it appears to be a bracelet. It is, of course, more sophisticated than simple jewellery. It has a thin wristband and a screen that is currently empty. It could be a watch.

Confused, Steve looks up and finds Tony studying him with a somewhat conflicted expression. “What’s this?”

“Don’t panic,” Tony says wryly, “it’s not a friendship bracelet, and I’m not propositioning you either.” He chuckles when Steve’s feels blood rushing into his cheeks. He did not think any of that. “It’s your ticket out of here.”

Where embarrassment had Steve feeling quite warm only a second before, coldness now spreads through his chest and into his fingers clenching the bracelet. Out, he thinks. A terrible suspicion pops into his mind.

This thing could be worth a lot of money. Perhaps it is used as a new method of paying. Or it has a hidden USB drive full of information. Anything that could allow Steve – and perhaps the rest of the team – to get out of Tony’s life without being left with nothing. It could be a farewell gift.

They have not been doing that bad, though. Sure, Tony and he are arguing constantly, but they are working so well together out on the field. Living together has become comfortable, now that they have overcome the first hiccups of getting used to sharing the space with other people. How could Steve have not noticed if Tony wants them gone?

“Tony? If you don’t want us in your home anymore –”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Tony cuts him off. “I don’t want you gone.”

He sounds so impatient that the words need a long moment to register in Steve’s mind. Then, though, he breathes in relief. Tony’s face does not relax, though. On the contrary, he looks even unhappier.

“Then what is this about?” Steve asks, unsure whether he even wants to know.

“Well, you never stop babbling about the good old times.” Tony stops abruptly, glaring balefully at the bracelet lying innocently in Steve’s palm.

“So you made me some jewellery to wear?” Steve is obviously missing the point here. Trying for humour, he adds, “I hate to disappoint you, but things like this weren’t exactly the height of fashion in the forties.”

Tony does not smile. “But it can get you back there.”

Unable to believe his ears, Steve stares. First at Tony’s unmoving expression, then at the innocently looking bracelet that appears to have just now gained a ton of weight.

This little thing is supposed to do the impossible and get Steve back to where – when – he comes from?

“Pardon me?” he asks, voice hoarse, sure he has misheard. If not for the distinct unhappiness on Tony’s face, he might think this is all an elaborate prank.

“That is kind of the GPS for a time machine I built for you,” Tony explains, not meeting Steve’s eyes. “It’s highly experimental, of course, but I’m certain it will be able to get you back home.”

For months on end, Steve had gone to bed dreaming of home only to wake up with dread at having to face this new world. He had refused to interact with this planet full of strangers, throwing himself into mission after mission for SHIELD, clinging to something familiar. He had even wished for the war back, for some faceless cause to get lost in.

Then, the Avengers. They have come a long way from that motley group of would-be heroes saving the world together. They train together, eat together, live together. Last week, after a mission, he told his team he was looking forward to going home and meant the tower.

Steve’s hand starts trembling, so he closes it around the bracelet. If he keeps looking at it, he might make a stupid decision.

“Do you want me to leave?” Steve asks, barely suppressing a wince at the frailty of his voice.

This is important. If Tony does not want Steve here, then everything Steve has been feeling for the past months would be a lie. He is friends with the rest of the team, they are his, but Tony is an integral part of all that. Without him, they would never have come this far, might have never become friends even.

Yes, they argue. Yes, they communicate mostly via yelling at each other. Yes, they appear to constantly look for flaws in each other. But they are a fam- a team.

“Don’t make this about me, popsicle” Tony answers, rolling his eyes in such an exaggerated way that Steve knows he is just trying to distract from the question. “All you ever talk about is missions or the forties.”

“Because that’s where I’m from,” Steve says firmly. He takes a deep breath, doing his best to keep this from spiralling into the argument he feels brewing. Tony is good at pushing people into saying things they do not mean. “But I’m here now.”

Tony clicks his tongue. “Could’ve fooled me.”

There is not enough bite in his tone for Steve to take it completely seriously. Instead, Steve thinks he sees insecurity in Tony’s eyes. It is well-hidden but obvious once he knows to look for it.

“I’m missing my family,” Steve says firmly. When Tony winces slightly, Steve walks forward so he is standing right in front of him. “A year ago, I would have taken this opportunity without hesitation, but now –”

Tony has never been good with silences, so when Steve is searching for the right words to continue, he sticks out his chin and smirks. “Now you have to think about it a minute longer because you’re going to miss Starbucks and Twitter.”

“No,” Steve says in frustration. A calm comes over him as his answer crystallizes clearly. “I’d miss you.” He smiles at Tony’s dubiously raised eyebrow. “I was lost when I first came here, but you made the future worth living in. You picked me up and gave me a home.” He shrugs. “Why would I give that up again?”

“Bucky,” Tony answers immediately, counting off his fingers, “Aunt Peggy, the Howling Commandos, the good old days.”

Shaking his head, Steve is surprised at how little his composure is shaken by hearing these names out loud. Some part of him will always hold on to them, will always call for them, will always want them back. He likes to think he can be better than that, do better than holding on to things that are gone.

“Life is better now.” These words should feel like a betrayal, but Bucky died before Steve came here, and he is tired of running after ghosts. “I’m not saying I don’t miss them, but the past doesn’t have you.”

Tony scoffs, “The Avengers –”

“You, Tony.”

It could be amusing, seeing Tony Stark lost for words, but the situation is too serious for that. Steve needs Tony to believe him. They argue so much that it is easy to overlook how close they really are.

Frowning, Tony takes a step back. He does not run, though, so Steve counts this as a win.

“What are you saying?” Tony asks. There is something in his tone that Steve decides to interpret as hope.

With firm movements, Steve puts the bracelet down on the nearest workbench. Throwing it away might have made for a stronger argument, but Steve is sure it costs more money than he can even imagine. Also, it is something Tony made for him, so he handles it with the appropriate care.

“Thank you for the time machine, but I won’t need it,” Steve says. Taking a leap, he adds, “Since I’m sure you wouldn’t want to come with me.”

“I –” Tony stares at the bracelet, his lips moving without making a sound.

Steve hopes very much that JARVIS is recording this conversation. Otherwise, no one is going to believe him that he has rendered Tony speechless twice in a row.

He decides not to cheapen the moment by explaining anything more. Leaving is not an option, because Tony is in the future. Whether Tony accepts that is up to him.

“All right.” Suddenly, Tony comes back to life. Where he has been listless and short before, there is now that manic energy again that Steve has come to associate with him. It is what precedes explosions or ingenious plans. Where it sometimes has Steve worried, he is now just excited. “In that case, I’ve got a new suit for you.”

Tony claps his hand and some holoscreens come to life, depicting a multitude of statistics and numbers that go right over Steve’s head. At the same time, DUM-E comes towards them, bearing some box that Tony takes from him with a smile like a child at Christmas. When he opens it, Steve gets a first look at what appears to be new body armour. It is not as garishly patriotic anymore, and a long way from his spandex suit.

“You weren’t going to let me take that with me?” Steve asks with dry humour. Mostly, he wants to cherish the moment before Tony dissolves into talking about tech.

Affronted, Tony blinks at him. “Dear old Dad might have had a conniption before he managed to create me if your suit started to randomly talk or project holoscreens into the air.”

Steve nods earnestly, but cannot quite hide his excited grin, does not want to either. Tony likes to build things. Whenever one of them wanders into the workshop, he has something new for them. This feels different, though. Tony made him a time machine to get him back home. Yet, he also has a new suit at the ready, as if he was hoping Steve would choose to stay.

One hand in the air, ready to launch into an extensive explanation of the suit’s new features, Tony stops to look at Steve.

“For what it’s worth,” he says with a small smile, “I’m glad you want to stay.”

It is the most natural thing in the world to step forward, put a hand on Tony’s arm, and say, “It’s worth everything, Tony.”

#stonyweek #fanfiction #marvel #stony #steve rogers #tony stark #time machine #home #getting together #tony stark has a heart #steve rogers feels #my words #ao3

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