Graduated Time [ 00.00 ] - StevexTony AU

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟵 - 𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 ⍟

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𝟯 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿

I've been trying to sleep for about 20 minutes but there is something bothering me, it's the sound of footsteps creeping around. I don't really know how the hell I'm even hearing them but I am, and it's bothering me.

Someone is up sneaking around at...3.53 am and it makes me unable to fall back asleep. And eventually I've had enough, and the steps don't stop.

I throw on a sweater and a pair of pants before I exit my room, feeling the chill outside of my room. I had asked Jarvis to make my room warmer at all times, the rest of the tower is about 23 or 22 degrees while my room is 25 and sometimes 26.

It's a little colder in Tony's lab and in the gym.

The hallway is dark and silent, leading me to believe I just thought I heard someone sneaking out here. I wasn't tired anymore and I began to get hungry, not weird since it's almost 4 am.

I shook off the steps, thinking it was just me making it up, and took the elevator up to the floor above.

"Captain Rogers," Jarvis spoke once I had entered the elevator. "You are up earlier than usual."

"Yeah...I'm a little hungry and the tired kind of ran out of me so I figured I'd eat something." I responded and stepped out again once the doors opened, I was faced with a dark dining hall and since Jarvis obviously knew I was awake he turned on the lights for me. I mumbled a thank you before I entered the kitchen.

And someone was sat there, on one of the barstools with their hands covering their face. And when I took a closer look I saw that the shirt they were wearing was glowing, so it had to be Tony.

So he's also up. Is he the one wandering around all the time? Was he looking for something or someone? Why is he even up, Tony needs more sleep than any of us. I feel like I've known this situation before, Tony sneaking about and me finding him in some type of silent melancholy. And he also won't admit why he's so struck with sadness.

He's not good at telling the truth. But I won't hold it against him, I've come to understand why he didn't want to tell me about him being from the future. At least I understand a little more.

"You being up late is a habit, then?" I asked Tony, attempting to sound like him. It was all lighthearted though, I saw how he jumped a little and then how he looked up at me.

"Sleep is for the weak." He mumbled.

"Sure is. For the weak to get stronger so that they can face another day." I tried not to be like that night outside of Lehigh, I tried to be understanding and less pushy. I don't want to fight with him again. I saw how he scoffed with a slighted smile.

I stalked over to him and sat down next to him, he turned to me.

"Or it's to be vulnerable."
He thinks it's vulnerable to be asleep? I mean I guess he isn't wrong but your sanity leaves you the longer you're awake, the longer you're awake the crazier you get.

"Tony, I know you've never been fond of telling me the personal stuff...but just know that I'm here for you. I'd like to believe..that we're still friends." I hesitated, not sure wether he felt the same about our friendship. I'm not mad at him..not anymore.

His silence led me to believe he didn't agree with me, so I gave him a halfhearted look before sighing internally and standing back up to leave and just fall back asleep.

"Steve, wait—" Tony spoke up, also flying out of the chair. I turned my heel to him and tilted my head a bit. "—I'm sure you're tired of feeling hollow because I haven't told you the whole truth. You don't have to pretend. I really haven't been completely honest with you even though you deserve it."

I opened my mouth to respond to him but he interrupted.

"Just..listen," I nodded quickly. I had been waiting for the moment when I could just listen to Tony as he finally trusted me enough to tell me what's up with him.

"It's been a long time since the battle of New York, and I can't sleep. I have nightmares about losing everything when I sleep, so I don't. And when I don't I tinker in the lab and drink and think 'til my brain aches,"

"And I've thought a lot about the day you died and what I figured out. And you're probably tired of me stalling and it's just laying there in the air so I'm just going to say it outright! It's I-um..wait..." Tony babbled and stumbled over his own foot, leading me to catch him.

I hold onto his arms as I see how he wants to sit down on the floor, I slowly kneel as he does the same and he sits down. Breathing heavily and his eyes couldn't keep still.

It resembled what happened the day I met him, it resembled his behavior then.

"It's okay, Tony. Don't rush anything. I'm here for when you need to talk, I won't be going anywhere. Unless you tell me to."
Tony swallowed and nodded. I was kneeled in front of him while he was sitting down trying to catch his breath.

"Steve...I see you and the team..you're all dead and it's my fault...and for-for years I've seen someone," he explained, I could hear the exhaustion in his voice. "He has a metal arm, someone speaks to him and then..and then you're there. You tell me that 'he's my friend' and that 'I could do this all day' and then you crush my arc reactor."

I WHAT? Why would he dream of that? I would never hurt him. Not on purpose at least, and who's the guy with metal arm? Why would he dream of that? It could be a vision but...why would I ever destroy Tony's arc reactor? The thought has never even crossed my mind that anyone would.

"I'm sorry I've been distant to you I—I was afraid. Alright? I was afraid you might do something."
If he's going to be THIS honest then I might as well.

"You're afraid of me?" I asked, I tried to not let the heavy feeling I felt over my chest as he said that show. But it did, in my sunken shoulders and knitted brows.

"No—not YOU. Of who you're gonna become. And what hurt I'll be causing you for you to wanna kill me."

"Tony I'm never gonna hurt you. I'm never gonna become the guy you see in those dreams, and you couldn't hurt me. And even if you did I wouldn't wanna hurt you, the thought has never crossed my mind." I said, my voice stern but reassuring.

Without doing anything but look at me he stood up, I follow his lead. I see it's harder for him to look me in the eyes after all the extremely personal things he told me. He has never been this personal with me.

"Tony," I began, grabbing his arm lightly before he had the chance to leave. He was probably feeling embarrassed that he had vented out to me if I know him correctly. "If you need anything, then you talk to me."

Tony looked to the floor, and nodded. Therefore bidding me goodnight, or...good morning since it's past 4 am.

"Whenever you need me..."