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“Steve?” Tony asked, his knuckles rapped on the white infirmary door. He kept his fist closed, trying to stop the trembling. The fear.
The figure on the bed shifted, “Don’t turn on the ligh— damn.” With a loud click the light flickered into life and a tic started in Tony’s jaw. He stood there in the doorway, Steve’s body was partially obscured by the bleak curtains. Tony pushed them aside roughly. He resisted the urge to gasp and step back when he saw Steve.
Steve wasn’t looking at him. He seemed to be making a point not to look at him. Any other place in the room was better to look at then in Tony's direction. The tic in Tony’s jaw got more pronounced when he realized Steve was trying to ignore him. He didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t say anything. He just stood there, the weak beams of sunlight coated the bed in a lazy fashion. Steve lay there, most of his body covered with a blanket. His bandaged hands rested on the sheet. The only sign that he knew Tony was there was the occasional clenching of his hand.
Tony took a step forward. “How many broken bones, Steve.” His voice was tight. In pain. Cold.
Steve still didn’t look at him. He stubbornly stared out the window. It was lovely outside.
“How. Many. Steve.” Tony’s tone brokered no refusal now. It was nearly a growl as Tony took another step forward. “What the fuck were you thinking. That building was coming down. And you fucking ran into it.” He took another step, his voice now a snarl. “ANSWER ME, SOLDIER.”
Steve didn’t flinch. He blinked, finally looking at Tony. But he opened his mouth, “Eight. Including my right leg, left arm and my shoulder.” His voice was hoarse, gravelly, like the dust he’d inhaled saving those children hadn’t cleared. “But Tony, the kids—-” he started to say. He jumped when Tony’s fist slammed into the wall. His blue eyes wide, contrasting against the medical bandage around his head.
“Goddamnit, Rogers. You could have died. I could have lost you,” he snarled, “What the hell were you thinking?!”
Steve’s blue eyes calmed and met Tony’s angry brown eyes. “That I needed to save those children. I was the closest to the building entrance. If I hadn’t gone in, those children would have died, Tony.” He looked away, “I knew I would be fine.” His voice turned bitter. “Besides, my body heals so quickly the Doctor says I’ll be up and walking tomorrow, running the next.” He looked away from Stark. His bandaged fists clenched at his side. his lips puleld back from his teeth in a simmering rage. "Always healing quickly."
“That’s not the point, Steve,” Tony said hoarsely, as if all the fight had gone out of him. “You could have died, my suit can handle that kind of force - Thor’s a God. The Hulk, well...” Tony walked over to the bed, his hands clenched. “But goddamnit. You’re just a man out of time. Mortal. Breakable.” He gritted his teeth, trying so hard not to grab the wrapped hand. His eyes closed and his head bowed. “Killable.”
Steve didn’t turn to look at him. He didn’t turn until his brain registered that his hand was wet. Then he turned, looking down. The spattering of water droplets on his bandaged hand and the bedsheets forced him to look up. His blue eyes widened, “Tony. I—” He didn’t have anything to say as he looked into the tear stained face of the most emotionless man he’d ever known. Ever loved.
Tony’s face was contorted, and tears dripped from his eyes. His head bowed and it looked as though his knees were about collapsed. Instantly, and despite all of the pain his body screamed at him, he was there, catching Stark. The man started to sob. Loudly. His shoulders heaved and shook. Tony’s hands gripped the blanket around Steve’s injured legs and didn’t let go. “Tony, Tony I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, I just… I didn’t think, please, please stop crying…” Steve’s eyes watered. He bent over Tony. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
“I didn’t think it would matter to you… I’m fine. I’m always fine. Tony I’m so sorry…” he said, his voice starting to shake. He blinked when Tony muttered something into his leg. “W-what?” he asked, lifting up a hand to wipe his eyes.
“You. Fucking. Moron.” Tony’s head lifted up, tears stained his face. He then snarled. “I love you, did you think I wouldn’t care? That I’m so separate from the rest of humanity that I don’t feel? What the fuck do you think you would have done if our roles had been reversed!?” He nearly shouted. His hands clenched the blankets. “Imagine what I had seen, Steve. I watched you run in after those screams. I watched you enter that building and I couldn’t stop you.” Tony struggled to keep his voice even. He glared up at Steve, “And then I watched the foundation crack. I watched the roof cave in. I heard the screams, Steve. Your shout was the last noise I heard before the building collapsed! I watched the excavation team pull out your broken body. I was in such a state, Thor and Hulk had to hold me back. Steve I nearly died watching them drag you out of the building. Unmoving. I thought you were dead.”
Steve’s gaze softened, “I’m sorry Tony, I really, really am. But it’s my duty—”
“Fuck duty!” Tony said angrily, “Fuck your honor and good-guy antics. What about me, Steve? What about me.” His head dropped again.
Steve lifted up a hand, he stroked back a wild lock of hair. “Tony, I love you. But I’m a soldier, it’s my job to protect the innocent. I wasn’t given this body so that I could sit back and watch things happen. I was given it so I could protect everyone. I can take it. I will always bounce back. Gunshots, broken bones - I've seen far worse. I can't - I won't - stop myself, not while there are people to protect.” He slipped his hand under Tony’s chin and lifted it up. “People to love. I’m sorry I scared you, Tony. But I would never change what I did. I can’t. I couldn’t stand by and let those children die.”
Tony stared at him with watery eyes, “What do we do then?”
Steve bent forward despite protesting muscles, and kissed him gently, “We love the best we can with the time we have. Neither of us can give up being superheroes. It’s in our blood now, I wouldn’t ask it of you, so don’t ask it of me.” He kissed him again, “It’s the problem with being a hero; you’re life is always on the line. You never know if you're going to make it, you just have to hope for the best."
Tony struggled and finally won over his emotions. He let out a heavy sigh. “Scoot over.” He said huskily, crawling onto the hospital bed with Rogers. He curled against his side, his arc reactor glowing against the white and blue bed sheets. “Steve… I’m sorry, I just got so scared when they pulled you out… broken and bloody. I just snapped. I couldn't focus.” He gave Steve a sheepish look, "I owe Thor a new cape, I sort of blasted it with my repulsers."
Steve smiled. He shifted slightly, his hands fumbling for something under the sheets. Tony looked over, curious. He paused at Steve’s warning growl. Instead he busy himself by tracing the pattern on the sheets. he was rapidly growing bored when he looked up at the sound of a soft click. Steve was looking at him, he sat up when Steve cleared his throat.
“I was hoping to do this later, but life makes things happen fast. Especially in the world we live in.” Steve looked suddenly embarrassed - and a solider who was both embarrassed and in pain looks rather funny. But he pulled his arm up, in it was a small black box. “Tony Stark,” Steve said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of expectation.
Tony just stared, then he looked up at Steve. A sudden, lunatic grin split his face, “No. No, you are not proposing to me in a hospita—-“
“Shut up and marry me, Tony. Please.” Steve said quickly, his face turning a shade of red. Even his ears were tinged with the color, he opened the box and inside was a rather plain looking ring. It was a cool, silver colored metal. In the middle was a single gem, a plain amber stone. Small, barely noticeable. Steve looked at Tony. The man was contemplating the ring carefully. Looking at Steve and then back towards the ring.
“I-I can’t, Steve.” Tony said in a sudden rush. He swallowed painfully.
Steve’s face shut down. He snapped the box closed. “Fine. I understand.”
“No, Steve. You don’t.” Tony said quietly. He looked distinctly uncomfortable.
“It’s alright, Tony. I do. I still love you,” he said, kissing Stark on the forehead.
“No, you don’t,” Stark fumbled in his pocket and held up a small blue box, “Because I was hoping to ask you first. You’ve ruined everything, Steve Rogers. Like always, I must say. But if you promise to marry me, I’ll forget this ever happened.” He opened the box and Steve stared. Despite everything, the ring was just as plain as the ring Steve had gotten for Tony.
“Only this is made out of the same substance your shield is made of. Vibranium. Guaranteed not to break.” Steve looked at the ring (which had three gems in it, a garnet square, a white diamond and a sapphire circle) and then back to Tony. He opened up his ring box and smiled, “Yes, Tony Stark. I’ll marry you.”
Tony smiled, though his eyes were red with tears. He reached over and pulled the ring out. He slipped it over his right ring finger and looked at it. He then pulled out his ring and slipped it onto Steve’s finger. The gems glowed brightly. Steve smiled. He lifted his newly ringed hand to Tony’s jawline. He pulled the man into a kiss, and then on top of him. It didn’t matter that his body was screaming with pain from the building falling on top of him. All that matter was that Tony promised to be his. For as long as they lived.
No injuries could dampen the moment.
Steve pulled back and smiled/grimaced, "Until Kang comes along and let's us all know that my agreeing to marry you has destroyed yet another of his precious timelines." Steve added in an after thought. "Did you know once he tried to explain how Natasha and I had gotten married? I think she wanted to kill me right then and there. She's scary, I don't know how she and Clint stand each other."