[He hadn't meant to try and goad Steve into giving him the impossible- and it might be hilarious to somebody that he's the one asking. Not that after their first tremendous loss it hadn't been on his docket. But even then it hadn't been promised. Not even with raising Alice had the two of them ever really talked about it. Not like this. Because the entirety of their relationship had always been built around this idea that there was no stopping.

No quitting. No end. The world was not guaranteed safety and they had jobs to do. It was the very thing that ruined his relationship with Pepper. It was one of the biggest reasons he'd felt safety building a future with Steve. Because they both understood it.

Now... hearing Steve say it? He finds himself a little awestruck. The team has been reformed by now. There are new faces. And it feels like more enhanced are coming out of the woodwork every day. But that still didn't mean the world wouldn't need them. It didn't even mean it was fair for them to stop. And yet. And yet...

Both his hands take one of Steve's, just holding him. Watching him.] I'd like that. [He barely gives voice to this, it's such a low murmur. He's never bought into the whole fate thing but after everything else he's seen maybe he should. And he's worried that they'll ruin the idea. Tempt something worse out of the fold. Tony's not really sure he could handle worse right now.]

But let's finish this, first. Before we start planning the retirement party. [Trying not to somberly voice the knowledge that this is Tony stepping around death for what probably will be the last time. He's not sure how many more times he'll get away with it. But this one last one he will. For Steve. For Alice. For their little family that he'd be lost without. He grins, then.] Not that I don't expect one. With tacky decorations and one of those annoying oversized cards everyone hates signing.