Tony Stark walked into the kitchen in Avengers tower, wearing a black Armani suit and Gucci shades.
"…Why are you wearing a suit to breakfast?" Clint finally asks after a long pause.
Tony takes of his sunglasses and rolls his eyes, "Because, I have someone to meet and I'm not going to meet them in the Iron Man armour or sweat pants."
"Tony, we already planned a training session for today, you can go meet whoever you're meeting tomorrow," Steve declares, uninterested.
The Avengers had been living in the newly renamed tower for just over a month, since they all agreed to move in a few months after Loki's invasion. They had all adjusted fairly well, but tension was still seen between Tony and Steve. That tension, it seems, felt like making an appearance this morning.
Narrowing his eyes Tony remarks, "You can't keep me here. If I want to leave, then I am going to leave."
Glancing at the two of them, Bruce buts in, "Okay, guys, lets just calm down a bit."
Growing impatient, and ignoring Bruce, Steve responds, "No, you're not. You have an obligation to your team to participate in all team activities."
Slightly angry, Tony says, "You're in MY building! You can't just make me do whatever you want me to do!"
Frustrated, Steve finally snaps and yells, "Who is it that's more important to you than your own team?"
Growling, Tony responds, "Peggy Carter!"
Suddenly, the room is filled with dead silence, as Steve takes a shocked step backwards.
After a few moments of silence, Steve asks quietly, "Who?"
Angry at himself for telling Steve by accident, Tony answers, "Margaret 'Peggy' Carter. You know, the woman who I have heard has saved your ass multiple times over in the war?"
Still quiet but a little louder than before Steve asks, "She's alive? Why are you even meeting her?"
Rolling his eyes Tony snarks, "Maybe because she's my godmother? Oh, and yes she is in fact alive."
"W-why wasn't I told she was alive?" Steve asks.
Tony sighs and replies tiredly, "Maybe because you didn't ask? She…she's not in the best shape right now. She has Dementia, and a lot of other problems. I guess no one knew how to tell you, but if you'd asked about her, I'm sure someone would have told you."
Steve nods before asking timidly, "May I…May I come with you? To see her?"
Tony pauses for a moment, before sighing, "Yeah, okay, come on. We have to leave now, or we're going to be late for visiting hours."
Steve nods again before hurriedly grabbing his jacket and following Tony out of the tower, but not before saying their goodbyes to the other Avengers.
Most of the car ride to the hospital was spent in silence. Neither Tony nor Steve spoke to each other for a while, just looked out of the limo and occasionally asked the driver how long the drive would be.
Towards the end of the drive, Steve finally asks, "How often do you visit Peggy?"
Tony glances at Steve for a moment before replying, "At least once a month. I make sure she's being treated well and has the best doctors and medical supplies money can buy. I also give her company, I know she must feel lonely by now."
Although the words weren't meant to be hurtful, Steve still flinches. Reminded of how he wasn't there for Peggy even when he wasn't in the ice.
A few minutes after their brief conversation the two finally arrive at the hospital. They take the elevator up to the correct floor and tell the receptionist who they are there to visit.
The receptionist—Hannah, her name tag supplies—tells Tony the room number, even though he had already hacked the hospitals files to figure out which room Peggy was moved to.
The pair breeze past everyone in the hallway and are in front of Peggy's door in under 30 seconds.
Tony holds the handle as Steve takes a deep breath and nods to Tony. After nodding back, Tony twists the knob and opens the door.
Peggy notices the two of them instantly, "Oh, Howard, what a nice surprise!" she says.
Tony takes a deep shuttering breath and smiles with unshed tears in his eyes.
"Oh and who is this you brought with—Steve?"
It's easy to see when she recognizes him. Her entire face and eyes light up and she looks about ready to jump out of her bed, to heck with Alzheimers.
Steve smiles a watery smile and takes a few steps towards Peggy's bed.
"Hey, Peggy," he says.
"Is-is that really you, Steve?"
"Yeah, yeah it's really me."
"Steve, you're alive, you came back," she responds crying.
"Yeah, Peggy," by now he's openly crying too.
"It's been so long, so long."
"Well, I couldn't leave my best girl, not when she owes me a dance."
The two smile sadly and hug, while Tony stands to the side, trying his hardest not to cry.
"Oh, Howard. Thank you. Thank you so much," Peggy says to Tony.
Tony smiles back sadly, as a single tear rolls down his cheek, "You're welcome, Peggy. You know I'd do anything for you."
Peggy looks back to Steve, still crying, and pulls him down to kiss his cheek.
Steve smiles, blushing.
Seconds later a nurse opens the door to inform them that visiting hours were over. Tony had tried to sweet talk the nurse into giving them a few more minutes but she wouldn't have it.
After a few attempts, Tony finally agrees to leave.
"Alright. Peggy, we'll see you again next month, okay? Take care of yourself for me," Tony says.
Nobody hears him when he mumbles an 'I love you' to Peggy.
Steve sighs, "I'll be back next month, Peggy. Be careful. I-I love you."
Peggy nods and mumbles but is already falling asleep from the drugs the nurse administered.
Steve sighs again before following Tony back to the limo. They are halfway through their drive when Steve asks, "Why does she call you Howard?"
Tony is silent for a moment before he responds, "I guess I look too much like my dad to her. Since she knew him first, I guess she would remember him over me."
Steve pauses before replying, "I'm sorry for that."
Tony sighs, "Yeah, well, I'm just glad she remembers you. She deserves that much at least… and so do you."
Steve looks away before announcing his thanks, "Listen, thanks for letting me come with you, even though I was a bit of a jerk to you before."
Tony laughs before remarking, "A bit of a jerk? Your middle name could have been jerk and I wouldn't have been surprised."
It's Steve's turn to laugh then, "Yeah, you're right. But still, thanks."
Tony sighs before replying, "Don't mention it. I'm just glad you two get to have this one thing."
Steve nods, touched, before turning on the stereo and playing ACDC's Back in Black, even though he doesn't really like the song.
The two of them enjoy the rest of the ride back to the tower telling jokes, laughing, and generally having a good time together for the first time in their complicated lives.