Athens International Airport, Greece - Friday Afternoon

[imafuturist]

Steve spent the holiday with his scattered team while Tony had spent it with his own. Which was much less upsetting than it seemed like it ought to have been to take time apart after... everything.

But it could have been because they were going to meet back up.

Which was why Tony was keeping a low profile by the Portalocity section of this airport, waiting for Steve to arrive. Not being impatient about it at all. Don't be ridiculous.

[for the guy!]

Comments

[heroic_jawline]

"Did you tell him what happened to the other Rhodey?" Steve asked softly.

Through extreme dumbassery?

[imafuturist]

"I wasn't going to keep it from him," Tony replied quietly.

[heroic_jawline]

"Does he hate me?" Steve asked.

[imafuturist]

"You? No," Tony replied. "Me? I don't know. I've dragged him into this whole world and..."

Somewhere, Rhodey was pissed that Tony was thinking he wasn't War Machine of his own volition.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve kissed him hard. "It's not your fault at all."

[imafuturist]

"I'm terrified of that happening to my Rhodey," Tony admitted. And Rhodey had only tolerated some fussing once he heard about it.

[heroic_jawline]

"I know," Steve said, sliding his hands up to cup his face. "I'm terrified of it happening to you."

[imafuturist]

Yeah, but it wasn't as important with him. Rhodey and Steve were more important!

"What about you?"

[heroic_jawline]

"What about me?" Steve asked.

[imafuturist]

"I don't want that to happen to you either," Tony replied.

You know, the whole Thanos thing was really gonna be A Thing.

[heroic_jawline]

Such A Thing.

Steve pulled Tony into his lap and kissed him again.

This...this might be back in the direction of kissing to avoid talking.

[imafuturist]

It was a work in progress! Because Tony went along easily, kissing him back to curl in against Steve.

[heroic_jawline]

"Nothing's going to happen to me," Steve murmured. "Or to you."

[imafuturist]

"We can't promise that," Tony replied. "We can only do our best to keep it that way."

[heroic_jawline]

"And not burn the world down if it does," Steve said because that was the lesson he was supposed to have learned after Vienna.

(He had not actually learned this lesson.)

[imafuturist]

Hey, Tony just lived a sad, sad life, raising all his friend's kids alone. Normal stuff.

"That's the goal," Tony agreed.

[heroic_jawline]

Very normal, not at all heartbreaking!

"How about just a small part?" Steve asked, nipping the lobe of Tony's ear.

They were Avengers, after all.

[imafuturist]

Tony chuckled, tilting his head to allow Steve more room to work. Then swallowed as he tried to get the idea out there, "Maybe--maybe we should have a will written up. For each of us."

[heroic_jawline]

Well, that was probably less traumatizing than last words projecting out of an Iron Man mask, Anthony.

Steve stilled. "You think so?" he finally asked, tucking his head into Tony's shoulder for a second. He couldn't have said if he was seeking comfort or offering it. Probably both.

[imafuturist]

...okay, so the will wouldn't be holographic. Cut him some slack here!

"I want to make sure you have something in place in case I'm gone," Tony said. And maybe not completely burn the world down. Yes.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve shuddered ever so slightly as his mind scrabbled around the idea of a world without Tony in it. "Please don't leave me the company."

[imafuturist]

"No," Tony said immediately. "God no. I wouldn't inflict that on you."

Pepper, however...

"I mean emotionally."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve lifted his head from Tony's shoulder to look him straight in the eyes. "Tony, if you're gone, I'm going to freefall for a while," he murmured. "There's no one in any universe I love more."

[imafuturist]

"I don't want you to follow me there," Tony said, looking back at him earnestly. "Not like that."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve leaned in to rest his head against Tony's. "Yeah," he said, closing his eyes.

He didn't want to make a promise that he might break.