"Hey, Rogers! Any chance you were gonna give (Y/N) some backup over here?" Tony called out, flying overhead to see you taking on four HYDRA guards alone, swooping down quickly to grab you around your waist and lift you to safety.
"I had that," you huffed.
"I know, sweetheart, I know," he laughed, "but I couldn't turn down an opportunity to look like a hero, now could I?"
"I'm sorry, (Y/N), I couldn't get there," Steve interrupted over the comm. "I was a little busy."
"It's all good, Cap," you replied. You weren't upset at all, and thought that you were holding your own fairly well while you waited for him, but Tony clearly had other ideas. "Oh well, how often can a girl live a dream come true? Being swept off her feet by a knight in real shining armor?"
You could hear an uncomfortable cough from Tony behind the mask and his flight wavered ever so slightly. "Dream come true, huh? Glad I could be of service, my princess."
"Are they flirting again?" Clint groaned.
"Yeah, I'm definitely feeling nauseated," Bruce joined in, "must be flirting."
"I think it's cute," Natasha added, "and quite entertaining."
"Well I think you're wrong."
"I don't believe that a battle is the most ideal situation to begin courting."
"See? Thor gets it!" Clint scoffed, "I don't know why they don't get it."
"We are not flirting! Maybe Clint doesn't get enough attention, is that it?" you snapped back. Landing on your feet next to Tony as he sat you down, you slipped slightly when he lost his grip and you began to fall back. His arm quickly wrapped around you again, now leaning over to hold you just off the ground.
"If you wanted to dance, honey, all you had to do was ask."
~~~
A few hours after returning from the mission, and keeping completely to yourself for the entire flight home, you couldn't sleep and thought that maybe working in the lab would wear you down. You had originally been brought to the team to work with Tony directly on a project for Nick, but after living in the tower and working with the team for so long, you never found yourself able to leave. So, Steve trained you, Tony gave you almost unlimited access to his systems, and you were turned into an Avenger.
During all that time it never occurred to you that maybe you were getting too close to Tony, or that he was feeling anything towards you. The team joked that you were flirting, but maybe it wasn't really a joke. You spent hours together everyday, so it just felt like a close friendship to you, and Tony certainly never brought it up. Maybe it was up to you to do it, and maybe now was the time since he was just about to enter the lab.
"Hey, (Y/N), you realize that it's 3am, right?"
"Yep, but correct me if I'm wrong, you're awake too."
A small but fatigued smile crossed his lips as he walked towards you, leaning down to rest both elbows on the table to watch intently as you worked. It took a long time for him to trust you alone here, but that didn't stop him from checking in now and again. "Einstein slept three hours a year."
"Yeah, you use that line way too much. It's not even true, Tony."
"Truth is a matter of circumstances," he said with a long yawn, "it's not all things to all people all the time."
"Well now you just sound like Nat," you scoffed, pausing to set your instruments down to look at him for the first time since he arrived. "Do you even have anything original anymore?"
Tony pushed himself up from the table and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at you with wide eyes and feigning hurt. "Wow, (Y/N). Painful."
You smirked and shook your head with a low chuckle, reaching down to start your work again when your hand slipped. You dropped the item and jumped back, cursing under your breath as you squeezed the wound to stop the bleeding where you had just cut your finger.
"Dammit!"
"Hey, let me look," Tony said as his demeanor completely changed to that of concern, taking your hand in his and holding pressure against it. As he held it, neither of you said anything more, and you felt uncomfortable with him for the first time. Now was definitely not the time to bring up the topic. His thumb was rubbing the back of your hand slowly, and he wasn't even looking at your injury anymore; he was looking at you.
"I think it's okay," you mumbled, looking back and unable to shift your gaze from him. You tried to pull your hand away but he held it too firmly. "Seriously, Tony, I...I think it's...okay."
He sensed your uneasiness and gripped a little tighter, but all it did was make you more nervous and wanting to leave even faster. "(Y/N)..."
"I have to go," you blurted out, pulling your hand forcefully away. He stood in place as you left him, not trying to stop you and not trying to follow. He wasn't even sure what he was going to say or do, but he knew that Clint had been on to something when he saw things going on between you both.
~~~
"Tony, can you just pick the movie already? We aren't getting any younger here."
Tony didn't reply, not hearing Steve because he was lost in his own mind, staring at you with Natasha while you brought the snacks out to the common room for movie night. He jumped up quickly to grab a large bowl of popcorn from your hands so that you didn't struggle, even though you weren't even close to having any problem.
"Thanks, Tony," you said with a smile, "but I've got it. You had better go pick the movie before we end up with some old black and white thing that Steve picks out."
"I think tonight we should let (Y/N) choose what we watch," he announced to the group.
You stopped in your tracks and looked at everyone, shocked by this, "but you always pick for movie night. No one has had a say in what we watch in...well, ever."
"I think maybe that should change, don't you? I've been selfish, and to prove my good intent, I would like you to choose, (Y/N)."
Clint leaned in close to Bruce with a smirk and pointed at the two of you, shaking his head. "I told ya," he whispered, "Tony wants. Any bet on if he gets?"
"Not a chance. He always gets."
"I don't know," Clint sighed, "this one could be a challenge."
Bruce laughed quietly, but with a grin so large that you noticed and gave him an inquisitive look. "Oh, then he's definitely gonna get."
With a shrug you agreed to go along with it and had JARVIS cue up your favorite movie. The team took their seats almost as if they were very purposeful in their choices; the only open seat left was next to Tony. Dropping yourself down next to him, you leaned over and rested your head on his shoulder and pulled a blanket up over the two of you. You felt his muscles tighten and he looked almost uncomfortable.
"Hey, is this okay?" you asked quietly under your breath.
"Yeah...yeah...it's fine," he stammered, "I just wasn't sure if you would want to be anywhere near me, after...that thing yesterday...in the lab..."
"Anthony Stark, are you nervous around me?"
He put his arm around you and pulled you closer, grabbing a handful of popcorn to throw in his mouth, "sweetheart, I don't know what you're talking about." His glance shot towards Bruce, who wasn't even watching the movie; he was watching something much more entertaining in what you were doing to his friend. "Shut up," he silently mouthed to Bruce, returning his attention to the screen.
About half way into the movie you felt your eyelids grow heavy, still leaning against Tony. You pulled your body in closer and wrapped your arm around his waist to hold yourself steady. "I might fall asleep on you," you whispered, "I'll apologize now."
"No apology needed," he replied, bringing his hand up behind you to rest on your head, now gently stroking your hair, only making you more tired from it's relaxing effects. He turned for a small kiss on your head then tilted his own to rest against you. "I just might join you."
Now the attention of the entire team had turned to you both, with the help of Clint and Bruce pointing out what you were doing. Steve smirked and tried to get them to stop staring, but he himself couldn't even pull his gaze away. "Hey, guys," he called to you, "if you two could just do this already, we could maybe get back to movie night."
"Do what?" you murmured lazily in your half-asleep state, your eyes now closed with little hope of reopening.
"I think they mean this," Tony whispered as he leaned down to kiss you, pressing you back against the couch with one hand still behind you and the other caressing your cheek. When he pulled back, he looked at you with a hint of fear in his eyes, not knowing if you would accept it or push him away for good. "At least, I hope that's what they meant," he smirked, leaning in again when you didn't stop him.
"That's what we meant!" Clint and Bruce replied in unison, looking completely satisfied in their first work as partners in mischief. "We could see it clear as day, I don't know why they didn't see it," Clint laughed, standing to grab the bowl of popcorn from your table. "I'll just take this. It doesn't look like you guys will be needing this anytime soon."