Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I'm just borrowing them for the purpose of this story.

Enjoy!

Tony had been in his lab for the best part of two weeks. He was working on a cure for Bruce (well, more like something to help him control the Hulk) and he was so unbelievably close to cracking it. Steve had tried to lure him out, but even taking his pants off didn't work so he just left Tony to it.

One day Peter somehow managed to toddle into the lab, and now he was tugging on Tony's jeans, demanding attention. It's not that Tony didn't love their son, it just wasn't the right time and he needed to work. He had needed to work for the past thirteen days. Eventually the tugging on his jeans ceased. Peter had probably got bored and wandered off. Well, that's what he thought before he heard the smash of a beaker, and it's extremely important contents splashing on the floor.

"Peter, be careful!" Tony swooped the toddler off his feet and away from the dangerous chemicals he was about to stick his finger in.

"G'off me! I hate you." Peter balled up his fists and attempted to hit Tony.

"Did you touch any of it?" Tony ignored Peter's violent attempts to get out of his arms.

"No, lemme down!" Peter shrieked.

"Tony, just give him to me." Steve said, walking down the stairs to the workshop. He could tell Steve was pissed off, but Tony was angry at himself. Peter actually hated him. This was the one thing Steve had promised him wouldn't happen, he wouldn't turn into Howard. But he had, and he hated himself. "You're making him more upset." Tony snapped out of his self-depressive trance and handed the sobbing toddler over to Steve.

"Steve – I – wait."

"What?"

"I know I haven't been around a lot -"

"Try talking to me when I'm not holding our screaming kid. Then maybe I'll listen to your pathetic excuses." With that Steve turned and walked out of the room carrying Peter.

Tony buried his head in his hands, angry at himself. How could he have been such an asshole? He hadn't seen their son in days and he'd just left Steve to deal with everything to do with him. He had turned into exactly what he hated.

"JARVIS, get Dum-E to try and salvage what you can of that and clear up the glass then shut down." He muttered.

"Certainly, Mr Stark."

Tony got up from his seat and trudged up the stairs to try and make it up to Steve. Steve had managed to calm Peter down in a matter of minutes, now he was happily giggling and colouring in a picture. "Hey, Peter. Can you go and get some more paper?" Steve spoke softly when he noticed Tony, Peter nodded and skipped off. "Tony, I honestly don't care about what you have to say."

"I want to help, I'll look after him for a while. Go and relax, I'll make dinner and tell you when it's ready. Ok?"

"Is that supposed to be an apology for completely blanking me for days?"

"No, I know you won't accept any attempt at an apology at the moment because you're a stubborn jerk." Tony had tried to be nice, but Steve obviously wasn't in the mood for forgiveness. Tony knew calling Steve a jerk wasn't entirely fair, but he was angry and tired, so he didn't give two fucks.

Steve opened his mouth to reply but Peter came trundling back in, carrying sheets of different coloured paper. "Papa! I got the pay-pa!" He said, waving it around excitably.

"Thanks Peter." Steve smiled, helping Peter up onto the chair. "I've got to go do some work, so your Dad's going to look after you, ok?"

"But he's mean." Hearing that come from his son stung slightly, ok, it hurt a lot.

"He's just been very busy lately, making something for Uncle Bruce."

"Ok." Peter sighed.

"I'll see you later munchkin." Steve pressed a kiss to Peter's cheek, before getting up and leaving without breathing a single word to Tony.

"What are you drawing?" Tony asked, sitting down where Steve had previously been.

"Rocket." Peter continued colouring in the picture, not paying Tony any attention or interest.

"I like the spider." Tony pointed at the big spider, branded on the side of the rocket ship.

"Really?!" Peter absolutely loved taking about spiders.

"Yeah, what type of spider is he?"

"A big one." Peter nodded seriously.

"I can see that, does he have a name?"

"Hm. Fred."

"Fred the spider?"

"Ya!" Peter giggled, scribbling in the rocket.

"Alright Pete, I'm going to get on with dinner."

Tony boiled some pasta and chopped up some chicken and tomatoes, adding the pre-prepared tomato sauce last. It was a simple meal but it was pretty much the only thing he could make. Steve couldn't get mad at him for trying. He got Peter to help him set the table, then picked up the toddler and went to find Steve.

"Hey, Steve?" Tony knocked tentatively on the door to their bedroom.

"Uh huh?"

"Dinner's ready."

Steve got up off the bed and followed Tony and Peter to the kitchen. Tony served all the food and they ate as a family, although Tony really didn't feel like part of their little unit at the moment. Steve was trying to feed Peter without getting it all over his top, but failing miserably. Tony just sat on the other side of the table, feeling awkward and out of place.

When they had finished eating Tony took the opportunity to get Peter in the bath. Tony rolled up his sleeves and lifted the little boy into the tub. He managed to successfully wash Peter without getting himself too wet and now they were both playing with little ships in the bath.

"Papa! Come and play!" Peter shouted when he realised Steve was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed across his chest. Tony had no idea how long he had been watching them, but he was smiling which was good, right?

"What are you playing?" Steve knelt down beside Tony.

"Sips!"

"It's ships, Peter." Tony smiled, letting Peter attack his boat.

"Looks fun." Steve laughed as Peter splashed water all over him.

They played with the boats a little bit longer before Peter wanted to get out of the bath. Steve dried him with a towel and helped him change into his pj's. They tucked him into bed together, as they did most nights - whenever Tony wasn't in his workshop.

"Steve, we need to talk." Tony said, pulling Peter's door to.

Steve walked over to the couch and gestured for Tony to sit. This was going to be a fun conversation.

"Tony, you can't just be his dad when you feel like it. Ok? I have had to look after him on my own for two weeks. I don't need as much sleep as everyone else but seriously? I can't handle it when he's waking up every night asking where his daddy is. I can't do it Tony – it hurts me. Sure, you can ignore me all you want – I'm used to it. But you can't do that to our son." Steve didn't sound angry, he sounded disappointed. Which was even worse.

"I was so close to being able to hep Bruce to control himself, to make his life better. He's getting so low Steve, he almost killed his fucking wife by hulking out. It was this simple injection, once then never again or he would have to start smoking weed just to stop him from, you know. He's doing it more and more and he can't stop it, he's lost control three times this month and SHIELD didn't tell him but he's killed four people. I can't stand by and do nothing, he's my best friend." Tony tried to explain what Steve already knew.

"Do you love him or something?" That was harsh.

"Steve, don't you fucking dare say anything like that – don't even think it! I married you, not Bruce. Why would you think I loved him Steve?!"

"You ignore your family for two weeks straight – you didn't even say anything to me when I tried to get you out of there – you just blanked me and kept working. You didn't even acknowledge I was there."

"You know I love you Steve and I love Peter, but this was a chance to help Bruce and save lives and I needed to take it. I'm sorry for ignoring you and if I made you feel like I didn't love you or whatever, because I do Steve. I really, really do."

"I'm not angry at you for ignoring me, I'm angry because Peter hasn't seen you for ages then you try and make it ok by just going back to normal, like nothing happened."

"Steve, I'm sorry. What more do you want me to say? I'm sorry and I love you and Peter."

"Tony – just – you're a good dad but -"

"Really? Am I actually, Steve? Because Peter told me he hated me today."

"I didn't know he said that." Steve said so quietly Tony could barely hear him. "He was upset that he hadn't seen you for a while, I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"It doesn't matter if he meant it or not, does it? He said it and that's what matters."

"Tony, come here." Steve opened his arms and Tony curled up into them.

"You said this wouldn't happen Steve, you said I wouldn't turn into Howard. Now I'm fucking up a kid's life." Tony mumbled into Steve's shirt, tears running down his cheeks.

"You're not going to end up doing what your dad did to you."

"You don't know that."

"Tony, I know you love Peter – so even if you tried your very hardest you wouldn't be able to be like Howard – because you love our kid and-"

"Dada, what's wrong?" Tony shot up at hearing Peter's voice. He was standing outside his door, staring wide eyed at Tony.

"Hey, buddy. Nothing's wrong." Tony picked up Peter and carried him to the couch.

"You're crying." Peter said as he crawled onto Tony's lap. "Why?"

"I, uh – d-don't worry Peter."

"Your dad's just got a bit upset." Steve found a reasonable answer.

"Is it because I sank your sip?"

"No, you sank my ship fair and square." Tony smiled, despite feeling like he was about to burst out in tears again any second.

"Is it because I spilt your chem-ey-kas?"

"No Pete, you've done nothing wrong. I shouldn't have spent so much time making those chemicals anyway."

"Love you, dada." Peter yawned, settling down on Tony's chest.

"I love you too Peter." Tony kissed the top of his head. "D'you reckon you could stay in bed this time?" He asked, carrying Peter back over to his room.

"Yeah." Peter mumbled, already falling asleep. Tony tucked him back into bed and said goodnight again before switching off the light.

"See?" Steve smiled smugly, walking over to Tony and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"What?"

"You're an amazing dad." Steve leaned in to capture Tony's lips in a kiss. Tony hummed contentedly and pulled Steve closer by the collar of his shirt. "What?" Steve asked when Tony pulled back, giving him a not-so-innocent look.

"We've got two weeks of lost time to make up for." Tony grinned, dragging Steve in the general direction of the bedroom.