Warning: Yaoi/boy-on-boy
Pairings: Tony StarkXSteve Rogers, ClintonXNatasha
Story: Love is one thing, it involves pain and happiness, fear and loathing, trust and knowledge. Tony and Steve think they have faced it all and won. But they have yet to face their final obstacle. And they might not beat it.
Disclaimer: All Characters (c) Marvel
Nicholas (c) Me

It hadn't been obvious at first, just a few spare glances and a slower pace for a few steps. Steve had chalked it up to Tony being Tony, excited by nothing and entranced by everything. They had been fighting together for two years now, and the Avengers had been living in the Stark building for six months. Steve knew Tony's ins and outs, he knew how he worked. He knew everything about the man. At least he thought he did.

Tony's pace had slowed just enough, just barely enough, that Red Skull's blast hit him full on. he went spinning into the nearest building, skidding down it until he lay at street level. It took all the Avengers a minute to realize what had happened, but when it did register, it sent them all flying into action. Moments later, Skull was retreating as quickly as he could, licking his wounded pride.

"Tony!" Steve gasped as he kneeled down next to his, dare he say it, friend. "What the hell-"

The Iron Man's suit was inactive, probably a few wires had been mixed up or broken. "Look, just pick me up," came Tony's muffled voice through the armor. "Get me back to my lab. I don't want to hear it."

"Thor?" Steve asked quietly as he stood. The God nodded and strapped Mjolnir to his back, bending down to pick up the broken hero. He carried him bridal style, much to the chagrin of the Ironman, while the others snickered.

"Just get me back to Jarvis..." Tony muttered, forced to rest his head against the God's chest. Steve nodded and lead the way back to Stark Tower, riding the elevator up. Thor deposited the hero in his workshop, where Jarvis immediately got to work on getting his creator out of the suit, reprimanding him the whole time.

Months earlier Tony had made sure to stock the suite with a few change of clothes for the others, which they were currently changing into. It took a few minutes, but Tony soon joined the others in the living area, limping slightly. Steve was on his feet in an instant, helping the grumbling Stark to the Captain's seat. Tony laid back, letting out a slow breath. He was bruised all over and he really didn't want the blond soldier helping him!

"Alright, what happened?" Steve asked, sitting on the table in front of the group. He glanced at everyone, Natasha just shrugging before going back to fiddling with her knives.

"Obviously Stark is starting to lose his touch! Maybe he should retire," Clint teased, a malicious grin on his face. Tony threw the remote at his head. "Missed me!" Clint laughed ducking. The remote was then turned and thrown back, hitting the archer square in the back of his head.

"Jarvis didn't," Tony smirked.

Clint grumbled, rubbing the back of his head as Thor bellowed with laughter.

"Alright! That's enough!" Steve raised his voice only slightly, but enough to get the attention of the whole group. "Tony, you never get hit, not that bad. You could have dodged and you didn't. Something's up."

"Doesn't mean I'm going to talk to you about it, Capcicle," Tony muttered, laying his head back against the couch. "I'm perfectly fine, nothing you need to worry about."

"Tony..." All eyes turned to Bruce, who's eyebrows were knitted together. "Your suit was destroyed. You miscalculated your landing, your takeoff, everything. You never do that. Something's up."

Tasha leaned over and gently laid her hand on Tony's arms. "Tony, we want to know what's going on. We do care, you know."

"Alright! Fine!" Tony growled, jolting to his feet only to regret it and fall back down on the couch. "You want to know? Fine..." He buried his face in his hands before muttering, "Pepper dumped me. She said she couldn't deal with me since I'm in love with someone else..."

"Tony..." Tasha murmured, leaning over to gently give with man a hug. She knew how much Pepper meant to him, she had been keeping an eye on the two since before the Avengers had been assembled. "I'm sure she only meant to help."

"I do not understand," Thor stated.

"Of course you don't..." Clint sighed, sparing a glare at Tony as Tasha comforted him.

And Steve was left staring. Pepper and Tony were over... Why was he happy about that? Tony must be miserable, and here he was, happy about it! This was not okay. Steve shook his head before reaching out to grasp Tony's knee. "She doesn't know what she left," Steve said with a small smile, letting Tony know he disagreed with the woman.

"Thanks, guys..." Tony muttered. "But Tasha, let go. I'm still bruised and you're starting to suffocate me." Tasha blushed slightly before letting go, instead leaning over towards Clint. "I guess I just thought Pepper and I would... you know... get married, have kids, the whole shabang!"

"What is this 'shabang' you speak of and is it good or not?" Thor asked, raising a brow in confusion.

"It's just... a term for everything, Thor," Bruce muttered, patting the god's shoulder. "It's mean Tony wanted to have a life with Pepper."

"You guys should just... go home. I'll be fine by tomorrow, promise. Just let me get some sleep," Tony smiled at everyone, a smile Steve had learned not to trust, a smile Steve knew meant Tony was going to drink himself into a stupor tonight. But the others trusted the genius and all stood, Bruce leading the way to the door. Tony thanked them all and said goodnight.

The door was almost closed, the others gone, when Tony turned around. Steve still sat on the table, his fingers laced and starring up at Tony. "So, you going to watch me drink?" Tony asked sullenly, slamming the door and losing his cheer. "Cause I know you can't get drunk, Mister Muscles."

"I'm here to watch over you," Steve murmured, standing and walking over to Tony as the man poured himself a stiff drink. "I know you, Tony. I know you don't really want to be alone right now. You're my friend, my teammate. I'll watch over you."

"...Thanks, Cap," Tony muttered as he took a quick swig of the bitter alcohol. "Don't tell the others about this."

"Wouldn't think of it."

The next morning found Tony waking up in his own bed, with his own pajamas on, head resting on something warm and hard. The thing was, he didn't remember getting to bed. He didn't remember much after he had started drinking, in fact. So when he looked up and came face to sleeping face with Captain America, it was a perfectly normal reaction to scream and fall out of bed.

"Wha-?" Steve cried, jolting up in bed, only to look to the side to find Tony wrapped up in sheets and eyes wide as saucers. "You alright?" He asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"No! What are you doing in my bed?" Tony cried loudly, obviously searching for the answer in his blank memory banks.

"Well..." Steve chuckled, pulling himself out of bed and walking over to Tony, holding out a hand to the other man. Said man took it slowly, letting himself be pulled to his feet by the ex-soldier. "You were drunk. I managed to get you to bed, which was not easy, but when you finally did get under the covers... You refused to let me leave. You made me lay down with you. Then you used my chest as a pillow and fell asleep. Nothing else happened, Tony. You were drunk."

But that didn't stop the billionaire from flushing red, looking down as he gently unwrapped the sheets from his legs. "You should never let me drink. Pep always told me I'm a horrible drunk," Tony muttered, walking over to his wardrobe once his legs were unwrapped. "She made me put in a safety measure to make sure I can't use the suit while I'm drunk. Who knows what I might do."

"I don't know why she would leave you, Tony..." Steve murmured, stepping towards the younger man. "I know you've changed so much for her, I watched you change. I just... I guess I thought you two would stay together."

Tony sighed, pulling open the door to his wardrobe and walking inside, looking at the outfits he had stored. "So did I. I guess I just changed too much for her. Ironic, huh?"

"You said that she broke up with you because you're in love with someone else. Why would she say that?" Steve asked, walking in behind Tony, starting to pull on the shirt he had worn the other day before Tony stopped him.

"No, no, you stayed with me and helped me, the least I can do is get you clothed in something clean," Tony muttered, waving a hand in Steve's direction. "And I have no idea, she said that the only reason she had stayed with me for the past few months was because she thought it would go away. But apparently I kept flirting with the mysterious person. I don't understand Pepper..."

"Here," the Ironman said, throwing some clothes at Steve that he had picked out. "Those should fit. The shower is the door just outside in the hallway."

The Captain nodded, taking a step back and out the wardrobe, hands clutching to the fabric. He escaped to the bathroom before he brought the clothes up to his face and took a whiff, filled with the scent of Tony. All Tony. "Shit..." He whimpered as he fell back against the now-closed door, sliding down the floor. It wasn't that Tony was in love with anyone else... it was that he was in love with Tony.

A/N: Back to the beginning! How Tony and Steve got together, how they got pregnant, how they decided on the name Nicholas... Which I might not actually reveal, just cause. But! This is something I happen to be proud of. Steve is just too adorable and I love Oblivious!Tony cause he's cute. So, what do you guys think? Good so far? Any ideas, any thoughts, give me feedback if you really like it! BTWs, on the final chapter, I'm going to be putting up a chance to win a story written by me, you get to pick it. I'll reveal it then, so keep reading and you'll get a chance to win!

Love you all, kiddies!