Avengers Everything's Changing, Why Must You Stay The Same?

Everything's Changing- Why Must You Stay The Same?

Summary: Despite offering his tower as home to the Avengers, Tony still begrudges Steve for having had the admiration of his father, and continues to give the Captain the cold shoulder. Steve, ever the hero, works hard to convince Tony to see him in a warmer light. Stark/Rogers.

Disclaimer: I own nothing X_X

It had been six months since Thor and Loki had left with the tesseract and Tony Stark was glad they were gone. The revelation that there were higher beings that could cause so much destruction, and took such particular interest in Earth, had left him feeling small and powerless after being a top dog for most of his life.

The Avengers had healed their wounds as well as helped repair some of the wreckage over the last few months. With billions of dollars in damage done, Tony had grudgingly chipped in financially as well as physically and technologically. He had contributed blueprints for new buildings to be built with arc reactors, leased some land for temporary debris disposal, made considerable donations to relief funds, and used his suit to help clear the streets of the rubble. Of course, his exhaustive efforts still had not changed his image as a reckless menace in the eyes of many. A few hundred lives had been lost, and they had to blame someone. He was feeling a bit like the comic book hero Batman- going beyond his physical limits to help this city yet receiving criticism in return. Unlike the other Avengers, Tony was the most famous, and therefore the most responsible in the eyes of the public.

On top of this, the world was changing rapidly, and Tony was fearful of the risks that were being taken, despite the current upward turn. Thousands of civilian volunteers from all over the country, emergency assistance teams, federal relief organizations, nonprofits, foreign aids, and military had spent the last several months, day and night, rebuilding the city, providing temporary shelter and food, and helping families locate lost loved ones. It was an effort similar to that of Katrina and 9/11 combined, and the war had seemingly united the world.

S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't stood a chance of keeping the fact that the attack had been alien under wraps with so many eyewitness and video accounts. Every news channel had either been reporting on the clean up, debating the "issue" of the Avengers, or interviewing world leaders about the new threat of alien attacks. President Obama, having been blessed with the most "experience" with these aliens, was now considered a sort of liaison, despite the fact that no contact had been made from Asgard since the attack. He had been appointed a temporary head of the newly formed "Earth Guard", a union of countries like none before it.

Every country stable enough to send a representative was invited to join in on the discussions and contribute to the designs and funding of defensive weaponry and space travel under the agreement that they end outstanding wars or conflicts and abide by the UN's human rights doctrine. Each country pooled a portion of their taxes into the new research and development, and programs like NASA were reformed under new titles with bright minds from around the world coming together to get a piece of the glory. Many struggling dictatorships had fallen under new leadership (most of them chosen by the UN) and eagerly accepted these terms in order to garner contracts that would provide their people with jobs and their country stability. Civil unions between long warring states had formed and the feeling of fellowship was strong among nations. A massive economic recovery was under way, mostly thanks to new trade agreements and leadership reform. Russia, China, India, the European Union, the United States, Mexico, and Canada contributed capitol and researchers while many peripheral nations were given contracts to build and mine for raw materials.

With all of this change and being in such high demand either for criticism or help, if Tony was ever home in the tower, he was either drinking, working, or locked in his bedroom, begging for sleep. On one such an occasion that he could not sleep and had grown so desperate as to try to knock himself out with alcohol, Tony had begun drunkenly sobbing face down in his couch, arm dangling an empty scotch glass an inch from the floor. Honestly, he'd thought he'd been alone- or else he would have carried out this pathetic display of self-pity in his bedroom. He gasped into the leather at the sound of his name.

"Stark?" The Captain's voice was unmistakable. Hadn't he been out for a progress update with the press?

_Fuck_ he mouthed silently into the cushion. "Yes?" he answered in as normal a voice as he could muster. He tried to wipe his eyes on his arm and let the excess blood drain from his face before the Captain came any closer.

Steve made his way around the couch, hands in pocket, to get a look at his fellow Avenger. Even though he didn't like the man much, his caring nature had him preparing some sort of comforting response to whatever Tony might be struggling with. Tony sat up quickly and plunked the glass nonchalantly on the coffee table in front of them. He then looked up at the Captain with slightly bloodshot eyes and tried to sniff indifferently- but it ended up sounding a little pathetic and he quickly looked off to the side and tried to think of something witty to say.

Steve decided to ask if something was wrong and opened his mouth to speak, but Tony had decided on his comeback and fired it off before Steve had a chance.

"Uh- yeah I was just having a little _me_ time…" Stark said in his usual witty manner. "So unless you need something- I'll be going now." He finished lamely.

Steve frowned and pulled his hands out of his pockets to cross his arms irritably. He stared at Tony, thinking that he was only trying to help, and he shouldn't be brushed off so quickly, but also that he was just like his father. Tony could tell Steve's mind had wandered somewhere else, and got up to wobble back to his room. Steve let him by and took his place on the couch, slipping into thought.

He wasn't very comfortable around Tony, and despite having lived in the tower since the battle; they had continued to treat each other coolly. Being around Tony made him miss Tony's father, who was similarly snarky but had Steve's admiration for his intelligence and confidence. Missing Howard Stark therefore made him miss his short life before the plane crash, and miss the simplicity of life in the forties. He had not had any time to enjoy his new body and live a normal adult life, having been slammed with the responsibilities of being a soldier and then having to answer the call of duty again as well as adapt to the new world he had been brought into. He drifted off and dreamed of himself, Howard, Bucky, and Peggy, laughing and drinking together in celebration.

Around seven in the morning, Natasha and Clint flipped on the lights of the adjoining kitchen, waking him up. They began their morning routine of breakfast making, the sound of a blender suddenly whirring made his head hurt and he noticed the stiffness in his neck. Rubbing it with a grimace, he wandered into the kitchen and greeted the two Avengers with a silent wave. He wasn't really hungry as he stared blearily into the giant refrigerator. It seemed like all the technology in this new world was either really big, or really small. Natasha nudged past him and grabbed a carton of eggs and the pitcher of orange juice. She popped the lid of the carton open and tossed Clint some eggs, which he caught deftly and cracked over a nonstick pan. The smell of the eggs brought Rogers to his senses and he closed the door and went to sit at the kitchen table, grabbing some silverware and napkins on his way. The couple had finished making whatever they were making after about fifteen minutes and Natasha had been nice enough to fix him a plate. He ate silently as the pair made small talk with each other.

Bruce wandered in as Steve was cleaning up, Natasha and Clint having left already for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York headquarters. They were currently working as Earth Guard associates, making sure the representatives from less savory countries were making the proper deals and alliances, and following the rules for membership.

"Hey Captain", Bruce said in his usual soft voice. Rogers waved a yellow rubber glove as he continued cleaning dishes. Banner eyed the dishes and made the polite decision to just have some toast so that Steve wouldn't have to clean the pans again. He grabbed some bread from the breadbox and popped it into the toaster, leaning against the counter to watch the Captain wash dishes.

"How was the press interview yesterday?" He asked after a moment.

Rodgers replied without turning around. "Same as it's ever been. People seem glad of the progress we've made with the cleanup efforts yet they still don't think we've done enough." The Captain had been a sort of figurehead for American morale again once the cleanup came underway. The press had surprised him by asking where Tony Stark was that night- why wasn't he here with his Iron Man when there was still so much work to be done? The Captain had reminded them that over the past six months, Tony Stark had worked countless hours on repairs and had donated a lot of money and time towards rebuilding- not to mention nearly dying during the battle (S.H.I.E.L.D. _had _been able to cover up the whole "let's just nuke New York" decision and therefore, Iron Man's biggest sacrifice had also been masked). Being just one man, the Captain argued, Tony Stark could only do so much.

His response had been rebutted with many arguments from the crowd of reporters that the Iron Man had made a lot of the damage with his missiles and crashing of alien ships into the sides of buildings. The Hulk had received far less animosity, since no one knew who he actually was. The Captain at that point, had to restrain himself from banging the closest reporters over the head with his shield. Was the cost of saving millions of people not worth a few buildings? He had left the lectern angrily, refusing to answer any more questions. As he scrubbed the last plate, Rogers thought about last night, and how pathetic Stark had seemed. He'd become lost in his own misery too quickly for him to consider Tony's. He made a mental resolution then to speak with Stark the next time he saw him.

Bruce's toast popped up with a loud clang, bringing him back to the present with a jolt of adrenalin. He placed the last dish in the cupboard next to the sink as Banner rummaged around for the jam. He put the gloves away and excused himself, thinking perhaps he might wander around the building after he got ready for the day, and possibly run into Stark that way.

A/N This chapter is a bit short, but I wanted to get the setting established :) I tend not to use a Beta because I usually edit pretty thoroughly myself but suggestions and corrections are welcome. Let me know what you think of my first chapter. It's been years since my last fanfiction so I hope you like it. Smut will come, I promise ;D


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Avengers, Hurt-Comfort, Romance