"Why did you have to do this?" asked Steve, "You were doing so well, what happened?". Tony just grumbled in reply. Let's just get him back to the Tower, thought Steve, He can explain in the morning. Steve carried the drunk, half-asleep Tony back to Stark Tower. He got Tony cleaned up, dressed, and in bed. Steve looked at him. Tony was lying there,his hair in every which direction, ark reactor glowing a soft blue, hands sprawled out. He looked so peaceful laying there, Steve couldn't resist. He laid down next to the sleeping Tony. Tony, unconscious, snuggled closer, laying his head on Steve's chest. Steve, almost automatically, ran his hand through Tony's soft,dark hair."Why can't you stop drinking?" Steve said aloud, "Why do you keep hurting yourself like this? We hate to see you like this. I hate to see you like this. You work all day, only coming out to eat. I miss seeing you. You hide away in that lab of yours. Why, Tony, why?" Steve paused, as if he expected an answer. Tony just laid there, silent."You always act like your this..this..invincible man. Like you can't be harmed. But you aren't. You're human, Tony. I don't want anything to hurt you. I want to keep you safe. I couldn't live without you. Why can't you see that?" Steve said sadly, fighting back tears. "Why can't you see that I would fight the world for you? Why can't understand that when you hurt yourself like this, you're hurting me too?I love you, Tony. Why can't you use that mind you're so proud of to figure that out?" Steve said with a hint of pain hidden in those sad words. Steve shut his eyes and fell asleep next to the person he loves more than his own life.

Tony woke up with a pounding headache. The arms around him weren't his. He looked up to see Steve sleeping peacefully. Alarmed, Tony shot up and sprinted to the kitchen. "What's got you so spooked?" asked Clint, who was sitting at the bar. "No..Nothing" stammered Tony. He stumbled to the coffee machine and got his morning pot of coffee started. His mind was fuzzy. He remembered Steve saying he loved him. No, that had to have been a dream. Steve doesn't love him, and he never would. Tony was too awkward and weird for anyone like Steve to love. Steve deserves the perfect companion, and Tony is nowhere near that description. While Tony was deep in his thoughts, Steve walked glumly into the kitchen. "Steve!" said Clint excitedly, surprising Tony, "I'm hungry, can you make some pancakes? Pleaseeeee?" Clint said the last bit with the voice of a complaining toddler. "Sure,sure" mumbled Steve "I will in a second". He walked over to Tony. "Morning" said Steve with a hint of sorrow in his voice. "Mor..Morning" Tony said, a little embarrassed. The coffee machine let out a small beep, signaling that the coffee was done. Tony took the pot and sat down on the couch, trying to get as far away from Steve as possible. Tasha, who was also sitting on the couch, noticed something was off. "Tony, are yo.." she began. "I'm fine!" snapped Tony. Tasha was a little surprised. She knew Tony was a little feisty in the morning, but not like this. Steve had finished making the pancakes,at which Clint gave a little yelp of happiness. Steve walked over to give Tasha some. "Hey Tony, do you want any pancakes?" asked Steve innocently. "Hmm? Oh, sure." Tony replied. Steve got a plate and set some on for him. When he gave Tony his pancakes, he planted a light kiss on his forehead and watched as Tony turned bright red.

What was he thinking, kissing him, even if it was just a small one? ,thought Steve, He probably just ruined everything between him and Tony forever. Tony will hate him now. The other Avengers will ridicule him. Steve looked over at Tasha, whose eyes were were as wide as dinner plates. He glanced at Clint, who had a look of pure surprise on face. Steve dropped the plate of pancakes on the floor and ran to his bedroom, clearly surprised with himself. Tony sat there, face beet red and mouth hanging open. Tony tried to speak, but all he could do is make noises. Tasha was the first to snap out of it. "Tony, are you alright?" "He..He" stuttered Tony. An hour later, when Tony had recovered from the shock, Tony got up and ran after Steve. "St-Steve?" Asked Tony as he knocked lightly on Steve's bedroom door. "Come in" said a small voice from the other side. When Tony opened the door, what he say almost made his heart break.

Steve's room was such a mess, it looked like the Hulk had smashed it. Steve's desk was overturned, pencils strewn across the floor. The sheets on the bed had been yanked off. Punch marks dotted the walls. A pieces of a bottle of alcohol were all over the floor. Contents of a broken phone were scattered around. Steve was huddled up in the corner, sobbing as hard as he did on the day he found out everyone he cared about was gone. Tony walked over to the fallen soldier and put his hand on Steve's back, "T-Tony?" whimpered Steve. "Yes, it's me Steve" said Tony in a soothing voice. As Steve looked up, Tony felt a sharp pain in his heart. Steve looked like he had literally been beating himself up. He had a black eye, a bruised nose and a cut on his chin. The smell of alcohol was on his breath. "Steve, what happened? Are you ok?" asked a panicked Tony. "You must hate me now" said Steve, starting to cry "Hate you? Steve, are you crazy?" said Tony, wiping away the tears slithering down Steve's cheeks. "I would never hate you." Then Tony kissed Steve, tasting the taste of Steve Rogers. Steve felt like a hundred things were exploding in his mouth as Tony kissed him. Steve pulled away, panicked. "Tony, do you actually.." Steve said, surprised. "Yes, I do love you Steve Rogers" Tony said "Hell, I love you so much that last night I dreamt you said you loved me" Tony, said smiling. "That wasn't a dream" Steve mumbled. "What do you mean?" asked a very confused Tony. "I actually said those things. I thought you were asleep." Steve said, a glimmer of happiness shining on his blue eyes. "Steve, I.." said Tony with joy in his voice. "I care about you, Tony Stark. I care about you more than life itself." Steve said, meaning every word. Tony almost cried with joy. He loved him. Steve Rogers, the most magnificent man on this earth, loved him. "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up" Tony said has he helped Steve up and lead him to the bathroom. Steve changed, brushed his hair and brushed his teeth. Tony then took Steve's hand in his and walked strong into the living room. Bruce and Thor were up now, and the Avengers stared at them with wonder and confusion. " Anyone got a problem with this?" Tony said sternly, his eyes shooting daggers as they went from one Avenger to another. No one said a word. "Good" said Tony, with happiness in his voice. He looked over at Steve, and saw a smile playing on Steve's lips. Tony smiled. He felt as if he was the luckiest man in the world.