Author's Note: This is my first Avengers fanfiction, inspired by this prompt from my good friend proudofcastielforever on Tumblr.

Steve doesn't think much of Tony; he's not a hero. But Tony does something heroic and things come to light that show how wrong Steve is about who Tony really is underneath the playboy facade.

I've seen the film twice and it is literally incredible. I'll probably not shut up about it for the rest of my life! This is set in the movie-verse but has no spoilers for the actual film - if there are going to be any in later chapters I'll let you know.

I would physically worship anyone who leaves a review!

The Avengers - Uniting Hearts

Chapter One - Decadence

As the second hand clicked pointedly around the clock face, Steve's irritation was almost palpable. The rest of the team sat chatting quietly around the boardroom conference table, apart from Steve himself who stood behind his chair, and the one remaining member who had yet to show up.

Tony was always late. He owned the building, Stark Tower, which they all lived in, and yet he never failed to casually stroll in late to the boardroom for a meeting or debriefing. Steve was usually very tolerant and forgave Tony a few moments after he'd walked in offering reasons, such as updating their security, for his absence.

Today, however, was different. Fury had informed them of a situation across the city that required their urgent attention. As soon as he had debriefed them in a conference call they were to fly straight out. This had been twenty minutes ago and the other four members of the team had immediately gathered in the boardroom. They were still waiting for Tony.

Just as Steve made a move towards the doors to go and find him, the very man in question swaggered in through them.

'Morning.' Was all he offered.

'It wouldn't be if we'd waited any longer for you. I knocked on your door twenty minutes ago. Where have you been?'

Tony raised his eyebrows slightly at the term quality of Steve's tone.

'It was a late night, I didn't hear you call me.' He shrugged.

Steve knew better than to expect an apology from the billionaire, but Tony's nonplussed responses were making his irritation dissolve into anger, instead of forgiveness.

'There's a potentially life-threatening situation across town that we need to move on straight away. You're telling me that the reason we've had to wait for you is because you've been asleep?' Steve almost shouted.

'What can I say, it was a good dream.'

'People could be dying because you're too irresponsible-'

'Guys,' Natasha interrupted, 'we're wasting time.'

With a glare aimed directly at Tony, Steve backed down and took his seat at the table, opening the call as he did so.

'Captain.' Fury greeted him.

'Director Fury. What's the situation?'

~A~

As Natasha set their jet down on a neighbouring building she could see the problem straight away. What appeared to have been an earthquake, as Fury had informed them, had carved damage down the road and affected some of the buildings. It was odd though that most of the damage seemed to form a pattern centring around the tallest, most impressive building in the street; the Atford Building.

Natasha had her suspicions that everything wasn't as straight forward as it seemed, but brushed them aside. For now they had to focus on evacuating the rest of the civilians from the ornate building before it collapsed fully. Glancing back at her suited-up teammates, she hoped the rift that seemed to have lodged itself between Tony and Steve, after their earlier argument wouldn't affect this mission.

~A~

Moments later they were all on the ground, each moving off into action. Chunks of dusty concrete were raining down from different lacerations and cracks in the structure. Steve had delegated each member of the team a job that played to their forte. Hawkeye was on the roof opposite directing Thor and Iron Man to the right areas as they stabilised the construction. Widow was clearing bystanders while the Hulk was clearing rubble nearly his size and weight.

Steve himself was evacuating the people trapped inside. He could hear Tony's sarcastic comments over the communication system and Clint's amused retorts. He rolled his eyes. For a genius, the man certainly didn't know when to discard the irony and be serious.

The moment that would prove Steve all too wrong was thundering towards them.

A young boy whom he had just carried out of the devastated entrance and sent towards the safety cordon where Natasha was standing was frozen halfway staring at the Hulk.

'Captain, you've got a kid who is-' Hawkeye broke off mid-sentence, 'Thor, there's a huge piece just breaking loose next to you. You have to stop it, that kid is right in the target zone!'

Steve turned before Hawkeye had even finished his sentence to see a mass of concrete slip lose before Thor could stop it, plummeting down straight towards the boy.

Even with his speed Steve knew he wouldn't be able to reach him in time.

'NO!' He yelled as the Iron Man suit appeared almost from nowhere, and pushed the child out of the way with unbelievable speed. Just not quite enough. The boy landed on his hands and knees several metres away, and the full force of the concrete hit Tony in the shoulder and chest, slamming him into the ground and pinning him in place. Steve's heartbeat quickened when Tony lay completely still and unmoving.