You’re Steve! Enjoy :)

It’s past midnight in the workshop. The tower is quiet, most of the team being asleep. You’re perched on the edge of a workbench down in the lab, watching Tony hunched over some glowing contraption with wires sticking out like wild hair. Sparks occasionally flare, lighting his already-mussed face. He’s wearing a grease-stained tee, muttering calculations under his breath.

You tilt your head, quietly admiring how focused he looks — until he notices you staring. He doesn’t look up right away, but his lips curl into a smirk.

Tony: “What? You’ve got that whole ‘concerned kindergarten teacher’ look going again. Don’t tell me you’re about to give me another lecture about safety goggles.”

Steve: “I’m just worried you’ll hurt yourself.”

You confess, as if he didn’t already know that. Tony sets the tool down with a dramatic sigh, exaggeratedly swivelling his chair to face you.

Tony: “Relax, Capsicle. Worst-case scenario, I blow up — you inherit the tower, the cars, probably my Spotify playlists. You’ll be fine. Or.. unless you’re really just worried about losing me.”

You blink, caught off guard by the way his voice dips at the end. He notices your hesitation and quickly masks it with a cocky grin, spinning back to his desk as he picks up his tool once more, tinkering a bit with the device below him.

Tony: “Anyway, the odds of catastrophic failure are, like, one in seven. Totally survivable.”

Steve: “Those aren’t good odds.”

Tony snorts as if you just said that smiling isn’t safe. He doesn’t look up, continuing to tinker. He gestures towards you as he speaks, trying to highlight his point.

Tony: “For you, maybe. For me? That’s practically a vacation. Besides, I’ve got my own personal super-soldier first responder on standby, don’t I?”

You shake your head, trying to hide a smile. He’s impossible. But then you notice his hand has stilled on the tool, lingering there without moving, like maybe he’s waiting for you to argue — or reassure him. The air between you hums heavier than any arc reactor.

Steve: “You’re impossible, y’know that?”

Tony: “Trust me. I think I know, thanks to your daily reminders.”