"Where you belong" by: Setsuna-X

Summary: After everything that Kang did, Steve is not sure about his continued existence. He appreciates everything the other Avengers had done to protect him, but ultimately it's his choice if he lives or dies. If anything, he should have died once he plunged into the ice. Can Tony, resident futurist and friend, help Steve find a will to live once doubt takes place?

Pairing: Pre-slash Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Stony, Superhusbands

Fandom: Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
Notes: Spoilers for Season One, up to episode 19 The Kang Dynasty
Warning: Suicidal thoughts, possible attempted suicide

Chapter 2

The next morning Steve woke up with a better frame of mind. He found himself alone in the kitchen, but the coffee maker was already on. Looking into the fridge he decided on an omelet. Steve wasn't the greatest good, but an omelet was simple enough.

"Yes, yes, make sure it's all set up. Yes, we'll be there, thanks," said Tony as he walked into the kitchen in a pair of pajama pants, a towel slung over his bare shoulders.

"Ah, just the person I was hoping to find," Tony said brightly, tucking his phone away.

"Good morning, Tony," Steve replied with a small smile. "Omelet?"

"Err, no thanks. Coffee is good for me."

"At least some toast," Steve said as he placed a plate in front of Tony's seat. He had put the bread in the toaster before starting on the omelet.

Tony grabbed a mug and poured his coffee before sitting and taking a quick bite of the toast. "Thanks. Anyway, I was hoping to bump into you. We got some places to be today."

"We do?" Steve continued to cook his omelet, trying to think of anything he might have missed.

"Yes, we do. Change into something street-worthy; comfy but not classy. I'll meet you at your room in 40 minutes."

"Alright Tony," Steve said as his eyes skimmed the bare skin on his friend. "Don't forget we have a sparring session tomorrow."

"Really, Cap? We just defeated Kang and you still want to spar. You should let me recover," teased Tony.

Steve's eyes raked up and down Tony's chest once more, "you look fine to me," he said as he tucked into his food.

Tony just stood there with wide eyes. "See you in forty," he said after clearing his throat and disappearing out of the kitchen.

Steve finished his breakfast and headed to his room to change. It was a bit odd that Tony wanted to take him somewhere. They had gone out a few times, usually to some restaurant or to get Steve new clothes aside from his Captain America outfit. He still didn't have too many things; he wasn't comfortable asking Tony to buy him anything. Besides, Tony was busy enough with being leader of the Avengers, upgrading JARVIS and other technologies, and running a multi-billion dollar company - he didn't have the time to spend with Steve.

Already feeling a bit down, Steve wasn't sure that he wanted to go out. However, he knew that there was nothing he could say that would persuade Tony to let him be for the day.

Once dressed Steve sat on his bed and took out a sketchpad. Tony had found it with his effects that SHIELD had procured over the years. The paper was a bit brittle, but it had been taken care of. Flipping to a new page he began to sketch out broad shoulders, long, sinewy arms, and in the center of the naked chest, he drew a circle. He was happy to see that Tony didn't have too many bruises from the fight with Kang, and the bruises that he did see were already healing.

A knock came to the door as Steve was shading in the arc reactor. He closed the sketchpad and shoved it under his bed, not ready to show anyone its' pages. "Come in," he called.

"Ready to go?" Tony asked, with a gleam in his golden e

"Sure," said Steve as he rose from the bed. He was dressed in a deep-blue jeans with a white t-shirt stretched across his chest and a dark-brown leather jacket.

Tony was dressed in black jeans with a Black Sabbatht-shirt and a thin coat. "Great, follow me."

"Okay. Where are we going, Tony?" asked Steve as he walked behind the billionaire.

"You'll see," said Tony over his shoulder. They made their way to the elevator and rode it down to the Quinjet landing pad.

"Is this a mission?" Steve asked, his mood going even lower. He had thought that he was finally going to do something normal.

"Something like that," Tony responded as he opened up the jet and went to the pilots' seat. "Strap in Steve," he said as he closed the door behind the blond.

Steve sat and put on the safety-belt. "Now will you tell me where we're going?"

"Not yet," Tony said, "calm down, Steve. It's a surprise, okay?"

"Alright..." said Steve, not sure if he was going to like this surprise. But he hadn't really been out of the mansion except for missions and the occasional shopping trip. Even if this was a mission, it was nice to be dressed in his civvies and hanging out with Tony. Tony didn't treat him any different than anyone else did. They ate breakfast together, they sparred and sometimes they would chat in the evenings. Others were a bit distracted by the fact he was Captain America that there wasn't much they were willing to ask him about. Most of those conversations ended before they even began. The other half of the conversations just tended to be more about strategy and weapons than about himself.

Lost in thought Steve didn't realize that they had landed.

"We're here," Tony announced as he turned on the reflector panels and turned off the jet.

"Tony, are we at Coney Island?"

"Yup," Tony chirped, clearly proud of himself.

Steve looked around. It was eerily quiet for some reason and it took him a while to realize why. "Why is it so empty?" Aside from the waves hitting the boardwalk and a few screeching sea gulls, the rest of the park was devoid of life. No screaming children running through the beach to get to the water, no vendors shouting to sell their wares to tourists, even the rides looked abandoned.

Steve wasn't sure what to do with this information or why Tony took him here.

As Steve turned to look at him, Tony seemed a bit sheepish – a look that Steve hadn't seen on his face before.

"Well, I just thought you might appreciate a day out without having to sign a billion autographs for just stepping out of the Mansion."

Steve looked at Tony and tried to process what he just heard. Sure he understood the basic 'get outside' but it was more than that. This was Tony seeing that he was going stir-crazy in this century, stuck inside [an albeit] gorgeous house and deciding that he wanted to spend the day with him.

Steve didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. He nodded his acquiescence and looked about. The air was warm and a bit crisp this close to the water. He could take in the gentle sounds of the water hitting the sand and the salty air. Even the sea gulls with their constant chirping eased him in ways he hadn't even known he needed.

"Thanks," he whispered.

TBC