A/N: So, new story~
And unlike my previous ones, this one is following the Avengers timeline of the movies and it is not an AU :)
With all the drama in my school this year, and with my stupid direction which I hope would dead soon or retire soon, there's nothing which cheers me up like writing about those two.
The first chapter is crappy, as always, and I hope it'd become better in the next chapters :)

Tony dressed up in the suit he prepared, took the basket from his bed and walked out of his room, making his way to the elevator.
He waited until it arrived and went up one floor, Steve's floor.
Tony made his way to Steve's bedroom in the complete darkness, he didn't bother turning the light on.

He got in and put the basket on Steve's bed, taking a few candles out and placed them around the room, lighting them to make the room a bit lighter.

Then, he put the rose he brought in a vase which stood on Steve's nightstand.
He had brought and threw away so many roses until now, but he continued.
Every day he walked to Steve's floor and placed one rose.
Everyday ever since he made Steve leave.

"Happy anniversary sweetie..." He said quietly and sat on Steve's bed.
It was their fourth anniversary, and Steve wasn't there to celebrate it with him.
He didn't blame him of course. He hurt the guy so much that he actually left the avengers.

And now…
Now Steve was against him.

'Tony-'

'Sorry sweetie, I'm busy.' Tony said in apology, 'but whatever it is I'd listen to you when I'd be back, promise.'

Steve sighed and nodded. 'Love you.'

'Love you too.'

Only now he understands that their 'I love you' were fake ever since they started getting apart.
He was really busy after the whole avengers thing. He fought another enemy and had to control his panic attacks. Steve wasn't there for him since he lived in the apartment Shield gave him, and Tony was a bit sad about this whole thing.

They started dating a bit before the avengers program. Nick introduced them to each other in order to make Steve get used to his situation.
Tony didn't like it at first, and Steve wasn't happy about staying in a very modern tower but he had no other place to go to.
And so, without any other choice he stayed with Tony, met his girlfriend, Pepper Potts, whom he started to hate from the second he started having feelings for Tony.

She was everywhere. Literally. He never saw her leaving Tony's side. Steve couldn't understand how Tony can put up with her behavior. She acted like a helpless female, and hearing her giggle made Steve really annoyed.

So at the times she wasn't around, Steve tried to get to know Tony better.

Usually he greeted Tony in the mornings with a cup of coffee, and breakfast of course.
Breakfast was usually quiet but Steve tried to start small talks with Tony, which sometimes Tony responded with words and sometimes with shrugging or nodding.

At other times, he got into the lab with a tray of food and just sit there and talk with the brunet, listening to Tony's nonstop talking which kind of amused him.

Tony had a lot to say, and he couldn't talk with Pepper because it 'annoyed her' and such according to him. But Steve liked listening to Tony.
Right, he didn't understand a thing but he got to know the guy better this way.

After a few weeks, they finally kissed.
The first time they did, they both were surprised.
Especially Tony since he always loved women and never thought he'd kiss a man.
But Steve...
Steve was different.

He actually wanted to get to know him, in all their talks in the lab, he didn't pretend.
He really listened.
And he wasn't as bad as Tony thought. He found the fact he's clueless about the modern world kind of...
Cute.

And now, now he got nothing. Steve isn't with him anymore. He's not even around...

Tony got a box out of his pocket and opened it, looking at the ring. He wanted to propose Steve in their third anniversary. But that was the time Steve left him.
He's carrying this ring around for a year and a half...
Steve is not planning to come back.

It's his fault. He pushed the guy away when he needed him the most.
Steve just fought Hydra again, he was having problems sleeping just like he himself had before.
And he didn't help him. He wasn't there for Steve...
If he can't be a good lover, how can he be a good husband?

"I miss you Steve..." Tony said quietly. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands.
"It's my entire fault..."
He just sat there. He lost him, he lost his lover, and he wants to bring him back but their meetings never ended well.
He wondered how Steve is. Does he remember their anniversary or he decided to forget it?
He was mean to the blond after he fought Hydra and lost his best friend for the second time.

He visited Steve only once in the hospital, and after Steve moved to the tower, he woke up from nightmares, but Tony was never there. He came late to bed, and Steve didn't tell him about this.
Their relationship broke apart before they broke up.

"I'd bring you back Steve..." Tony promised, "I'd make you remember who you are."

.

Three days later Nick came to him with a mission.

They tracked Steve again and they want him to go and follow him, to see what he does exactly and to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone.

Tony took the file and nodded.

He'd find Steve, and he'd try to talk some sense into him.

.

Tony quietly sneak into the abandoned building Nick told him Steve hid in.
He tried not to make too much noise so Steve won't notice him.

Ever since Steve left, he stopped with iron man suits. They are not the best thing to sneak in.
So he continued training his fighting style, Nick made him Shield director, and ever since he's following Steve.
They have been playing the cat and mouse thing for a year. And it was always the same.

Tony saw Steve, he was training.
But it wasn't his usual training, he was way more aggressive.
He watched the soldier train a lot during the time they were together, and it was way different from the Steve he saw now.
He remembered what a kind heart the blond had, and now, because of him, it became dark and full with hatred.
Tony tried to get closer without being noticed. He had to find out what Steve is planning.

But he slipped, and Steve probably heard it since he stopped punching the bag and looked around to see who made the noise. Tony tried to hide but he decided it'd be pointless.

"Who's there?" Steve asked a bit annoyed.
Tony sighed and showed himself. He took a good look at Steve.
He still had his stealth clothes, his shield was lying close to him.
He was sweating from the practice and he seemed pretty annoyed.

"Steve-"

"What are you doing here?" Steve asked annoyed and took his shield, "wasn't our last meeting was enough for you!?"

Tony looked at Steve for a long while. "You are way more than just a shield. Drop it."

Steve threw the shield away. "What do you want, director?" Steve said coldly.

Tony knew that the light he always saw in Steve's eyes was gone by now.
He wasn't the Steve he knew. Not anymore.
But on the other hand, he wasn't the Tony he used to be neither.
He changed, but he can change back.
He wanted his Steve, but he knew that Steve won't join him just like this. He needs to try hard.
He need to make Steve listen.

"I want to talk." Tony said calmly, "nothing more, please Steve."

A smirk came to Steve's lips.

"Talk?" He chuckled bitterly, "it's been two and a half years Stark! It's too late for talking now, don't you think?"

"Steve-!"

"Get out of here. Or I'll show no mercy." Steve said coldly.

Tony looked at the blond, who looked back at him, waiting for the moment he'd walk away.
But Tony didn't want that. He wanted Steve by his side, and although nothing would bring him back, it was worth a shot.

"I admit," Tony spoke, "I was a total idiot. And I'm really sorry-"

"You think a 'sorry' would fix anything!?" Steve asked annoyed, "you…you caused this Stark! I don't even know where to start! With the fact that you didn't give a shit about our 'relationship' ever since the fight with Loki, or with the fact you-!" Steve's hands turned into fists, he attacked.

Tony tried to block him as much as he could but Steve continued attacking and hitting him.
As much as Tony didn't want to hurt Steve, he attacked back.
The fought for something that seemed like a few minutes, but when Steve managed to push him against the wall Tony understood with was more than a few minutes.

They both panted heavily.

Steve looked pretty bad and he was bleeding in some places, Tony assumed he looked bad as well.

"S-Steve...please..." Tony begged. He knew the kindness is still somewhere there, and he knew that if he'd try hard enough, his Steve would show.

"I warned you to leave me alone..." Steve said coldly, looking into Tony's eyes.

Tony saw what he never saw before. Anger, depression...

He ruined him. He ruined the pure heart and soul Steve had because of his actions.

He didn't treat Steve like he should have, he wasn't there for him during his hard time. He ignored him after the whole thing with the Mandarin, he wasn't the boyfriend he wanted to be.

Steve trusted him.
He gave him a chance, and another one, and another one.

He drank, Steve forgave him.

He acted like a complete jerk, Steve made him stable again.

He flirted with random women, Steve reminded him it's not him anymore.

Steve was there for him in his lowest times.

When he drank his ass off to get over bad times, Steve explained him it's not the way.

They practiced together, they shared experiences, they went shopping together.

They made each other get over the bad times.

But that was before the avengers.

After that, nothing was the same.

Tony closed his eyes. "I know you deserve better Steve..." He said quietly, "but you make me a better person. I was going through a rough time and ignored you. It's not okay, I know that..."

They fought, a lot. Tony had nightmares, but he refused sharing them with Steve. He locked himself in the lab and stayed there for days.

He didn't even let Steve bring food in. He wanted everyone to leave him alone.

"I tried really hard to forget you." Steve slowly let go of Tony, "I don't want to see you again. Get the hell out of here and don't ever come back. I was wrong, you are not a good man and you can never be. No matter how hard I've tried, I failed." He turned back around and took his shield, "we don't belong together. Next time," Steve looked at Tony, "I'd kill you, director."

"Steve-"

"Get out!" Steve threw the shield at Tony.
Tony ducked and started running to the exit.

Before getting out he stopped at turned to look at the blond.
"I still love you." He said and got out.
Well, that mission was a failure.

Steve looked at the exit. He couldn't believe that Tony actually dared to come to him and say he's 'sorry'.
That won't help. He was wrong for giving Tony chances, he's not the guy for him and he would never be.

'Tony...?' Steve slowly opened his eyes and looked at the side next to him.
It was empty.
Steve sighed. It was already the third time that week.
Tony just took off in the morning, he never stayed anymore.

Steve closed his eyes. They started getting apart. He could hear it every time they said 'I love you', or every time they talked. Their replies were always short.
They used to talk for hours, no matter what.
Now they were lucky if they could hold a conversation for five minutes.
it wasn't the same, they weren't the same.

Steve punched the bag as hard as he could.
Tony would pay for everything he done. One way or another.

.

"Another failure?" Nick asked when Tony returned.

Tony nodded lightly. Steve beat him pretty hardly.

Most of their meetings ended like this, it could have been much worse.

"I don't know what to do...he won't listen. He doesn't want to listen." Tony sighed. How can he make a guy who hates him not to hate him?

It's been a whole year ever since they broke up.

Steve left him a note he found only after a week.

'I've tried. Really tried Tony. But it's not the same.
We are not the same.
You changed, for worse, and I need you now more than ever.
I'm hurt Tony. I've been through a lot and our situation makes it worse.
I'm leaving. I don't want to see you ever again.'

And that was it. Steve left and took with him what was left from his messed up heart.
He took away everything, and Tony wanted him back.

"Stark, you do understand that Rogers is very unstable. If we'll let him continue, he might hurt innocent people."

"Steve would never do such a thing." Tony said, "He doesn't kill innocent people."

But Nick just looked at him.

Tony sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back into the chair. He can't think like that. Even when things were okay he couldn't predict what Steve would do next.

"So what now?" He said his last thought out loud.
He never saw Steve like this, and he's asking for help no one can give him.

"You tell me." Nick stood up.

Tony sighed. He needs a plan. He needs to think how to get Steve back to him.
Because without the blond, his life would fall apart.
Steve was the one who held him together. Why only when he loses something he understands how important it is?
Steve was the best thing that ever happened to him, he'd do whatever the guy would ask for him.

He acted like a jerk, and he wanted to fix it.

A/N: So...this is chapter one...
The plot would be more understandable in the next chapters, though I'm not sure when I'd be able to update.
My schedule is super tight with the course I'm taking now.
Good luck to me.