endgame open post

[dropsofjupiter]

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stark
aequitatis
pottspepper
starklegacy for au time hopping shenanigans because of course she would. and of course i would.

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[stark]

[ Tony’s expecting a flat out no, a reminder that he has to take care of himself first and at least be able to sit up without being winded before he can think of leaving.

But that doesn’t come, and Tony can’t quite hide the surprise in his face. ]

Really?

[noble_sentiments]

[ Steve's eyes seem to soften when he sees how surprised Tony is, and in the next second, his muscles relax as Steve smiles and rolls his eyes teasingly. ]

You're my husband, Tony. I may have left, but I couldn't ever forget anything about you.

[ He knows how much Tony hates hospitals, even hospital rooms in his own damn compound. So Steve gives Tony's hand a reassuring squeeze, before setting it down carefully and taking a few steps away from the bed, and around the IV machine. He follows the line up to the drip and reads the small print indicating what's being sent into Tony's veins.

Then he follows the machine back down to the electronic monitor and checks the rate at which the liquid is flowing. ]

There's no reason this can't come with us. [ He concludes, before coming back to Tony's side. ] But I'm not sure your body can handle moving yet. You might have to give it at least a week before Bruce'll let me move you. [ A beat. ] Until then, if you really hate it here, I could take you to another room. One you've never seen before.

[stark]

[ Damn you, Tony can’t help but think. Because with this, and at least trying to help him feel better, it’s making more progress than any promises Steve could make about staying. It makes Tony visibly relax, even if Steve mentions that it could be a week before he can be moved. ]

You know, I was a lot worse than this before getting here...if that makes a difference.

[ He says it as if that’s a good reason as to why moving him now wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. His lips even quirk slightly into a small smile as he says it. ]

...thank you. For not just saying no.

[noble_sentiments]

[ Seeing the way Tony's body relaxes makes Steve smile, even if he's trying on purpose to not smile too much.

As for Tony looking a lot worse before, he just shakes his head. He knows. He almost lost Tony up there. There's no way in hell he's ever Tony be in a situation like that again without him. ]

You're welcome. [ He says, finally. And then, there's a helpless softness to the way Steve says: ] I love you, Tony.

[ There's only a short beat after that though because Steve's goal isn't to force Tony to respond to that. He just ... had to say it. It's the reason why he's doing any of this, after all. ] Anyway. I'll check if Bruce is up yet. See if he can give us some more information about how you're doing.

[stark]

[ Although Steve has already told him he still loves him, that that’s the reason why he wants to come back and stay for good this time, the full I love you disarms him once again. It shouldn’t take him by surprise this much, but it does. Maybe the malnourishment affected his brain, he’ll wonder later.

Before Steve can leave the room, though, Tony answers before he can realize what he’s actually saying. ]

I love you, too.

[ It’s quiet, his voice almost getting lost in the room, but Steve would be able to hear it. It’s the answer Steve had been waiting for, the one he had already answered without a straight answer anyway. He’s still not ready to just start up what they used to have like nothing happened, he’ll still need time to learn how to trust Steve again, but...he does love him. Despite himself and how much he tried to forget him, he still loves him.

With a nod, Tony settles back against the pillows again before turning to look out the window. The vastness of space isn’t threatening to eat him up alive anymore, his new view is very different than what it was for 23 days, and he finds himself drifting off to sleep again not even a minute later. It’s just for a second, he tells himself. He just needs to close his eyes for a second. ]