[His expression weakens almost immediately and it feels like the rest of his strength goes with it. Loaded question, right. One he'd already known the answer to. His hands slip underneath Steve's arms before pressing his palms flat against Steve's back. Pulling the two of them closer together. As close as they can get. Holding on to him.
And he listens- listens without rebuffing Steve. Without saying the usual I'm fine or arguing that he will be. That's not going to help here. He thinks about how he'd feel, if Steve had suddenly dumped this on him. He probably wouldn't have handled it nearly half as well, though the outcome might've been the same. The immediate pull to get to work, to get the most important people to solve the most important crisis in a room. Because that's absolutely how Tony would see it, and he knows Steve is no different.
He can't imagine a life without Steve, at this point. And he'd practically forced that on Steve earlier this afternoon. Maybe it should've been sooner, but would it have been the same regardless? No time to think about that now. Steve can beat him up over it when he's well again.
So he just nods. Understands. Lets Steve have that because it's his and the only thing Tony can do to make it better is to survive through this and then thrive with him. A little gift for all Steve's troubles waiting at the end- at least he hopes Steve will see it that way.
It's hard to let him go but he does, stepping out of his shoes and taking off his socks. He lets Steve help him with the rest of his clothes, soothes his hands up the length of Steve's back when he leans in to give that small affection. It's been extremely difficult, to be like this. He'd had only slight issues, he remembers, when they'd first gotten together. Unresolved feelings about just how many times his chest had been cracked open and what the result of that had left lingering. And certain others from battle that he'd earned all the same but that wouldn't fade with time. Steve had never left any room for doubt that he'd found him beautiful. It had helped. But in the aftermath of the snap, he barely knows himself anymore. Definitely not the man he used to be and maybe Steve would never say so, maybe because he doesn't feel that way, but Tony wouldn't judge him if he ever felt the need to be honest about how terrible he looks.
Tony knows. But hopefully soon he can exit the painful scars and the marred flesh and resemble himself again.
He tries to quickly discard all that, hands lifting to take hold of the sides of Steve's face, thumbs brushing just underneath his eyes as he tries for a grin.] I remember something about drawing us a bath. Just wanted an excuse to dote on me? You could've just said. Still would've gotten naked for you.
[There's some things that despite all that's happened he'll never lose. One of them just being the way they are with each other. How much he loves Steve, how much he can't help tease him, and while he doesn't feel in any sense of the word gorgeous or sexy anymore, he still doesn't mind when Steve's still so receptive even after all these years. Some things never change. He'll always be glad for that. Feels more like himself in these little moments than ever.]
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And he listens- listens without rebuffing Steve. Without saying the usual I'm fine or arguing that he will be. That's not going to help here. He thinks about how he'd feel, if Steve had suddenly dumped this on him. He probably wouldn't have handled it nearly half as well, though the outcome might've been the same. The immediate pull to get to work, to get the most important people to solve the most important crisis in a room. Because that's absolutely how Tony would see it, and he knows Steve is no different.
He can't imagine a life without Steve, at this point. And he'd practically forced that on Steve earlier this afternoon. Maybe it should've been sooner, but would it have been the same regardless? No time to think about that now. Steve can beat him up over it when he's well again.
So he just nods. Understands. Lets Steve have that because it's his and the only thing Tony can do to make it better is to survive through this and then thrive with him. A little gift for all Steve's troubles waiting at the end- at least he hopes Steve will see it that way.
It's hard to let him go but he does, stepping out of his shoes and taking off his socks. He lets Steve help him with the rest of his clothes, soothes his hands up the length of Steve's back when he leans in to give that small affection. It's been extremely difficult, to be like this. He'd had only slight issues, he remembers, when they'd first gotten together. Unresolved feelings about just how many times his chest had been cracked open and what the result of that had left lingering. And certain others from battle that he'd earned all the same but that wouldn't fade with time. Steve had never left any room for doubt that he'd found him beautiful. It had helped. But in the aftermath of the snap, he barely knows himself anymore. Definitely not the man he used to be and maybe Steve would never say so, maybe because he doesn't feel that way, but Tony wouldn't judge him if he ever felt the need to be honest about how terrible he looks.
Tony knows. But hopefully soon he can exit the painful scars and the marred flesh and resemble himself again.
He tries to quickly discard all that, hands lifting to take hold of the sides of Steve's face, thumbs brushing just underneath his eyes as he tries for a grin.] I remember something about drawing us a bath. Just wanted an excuse to dote on me? You could've just said. Still would've gotten naked for you.
[There's some things that despite all that's happened he'll never lose. One of them just being the way they are with each other. How much he loves Steve, how much he can't help tease him, and while he doesn't feel in any sense of the word gorgeous or sexy anymore, he still doesn't mind when Steve's still so receptive even after all these years. Some things never change. He'll always be glad for that. Feels more like himself in these little moments than ever.]