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“Please?”
“No! We’ve been over this!”
“Why not?”
“Tony! We’ve discussed this! It’s just not practical!”
“Screw practical Steve! Our jobs aren’t practical! Why do we need to be practical? I’m a freaking billionaire! Which means, by extension, so are you!”
“What happens if something happens to us Tony? Huh? What then? Because if one of us goes, then it’s most likely gonna mean that the rest of the team is gone too! What then? Who else is there?”
“Pepper? Rhodey? Sam? Sharon? Do you need me to think of some more people we could trust with OUR CHILD, or is that enough for you?”
“Tony! It’s not that I don’t want a baby, because believe me sweetheart, I do. But we both know Pepper doesn’t want kids. Rhodey and Sam go out on missions with us, they’re in the same boat as we are. And Sharon might as well be, not to mention how often she’s put undercover. Babe, believe me, I want a baby every bit as much as you, but I just really don’t see that in the near future for us.”
Tony was on the verge of crying. Big tears filling up those chocolate brown puppy eyes that Steve never could resist. And believe him, he’s tried.
Softer this time, Steve called Tony, “Sweetheart, come here.”
With Steve’s arms open and so many emotions coursing through him, what other option was there other than to collapse into that familiar embrace? Tony almost never cried. Around other people that is, but if JARVIS ever tells anyone, Tony was gonna make good on his promise to a certain community college.
“Shhhh, doll. I know, I know,” Steve was trying his best not to break down crying too, “believe me when I say this hon, I want a baby every bit as much as you do. But with our occupational hazards, and pretty much our entire family having the same hazards? I don’t want our baby to have to deal with that.”
Tony looked up, a new hope shining in his eyes, “So then I quit!”
“What? Tony, baby, what?” Steve was so taken aback he couldn’t formulate any more words.
“I quit the Avengers, become CFO of R&D like Pep’s been begging me to do, and I stay home, here, with the baby!” Tony was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet at this point, sure that there was no way Steve could say no to this plan.
Steve had finally gained back enough brain function to put together full sentences, “Tony are you sure? This is a huge decision to make, and I don’t want you to do something you’re going to regret later.”
Steve wasn’t saying no! “Of course I’m sure! I’m sure I want a baby! And I’m sure I agree with all of your reasons as to why we SHOULDN’t get one. And I’m positive that the only way we’re gonna get a baby is if one of us stays on the ground, and I could never ask you to give that up honey bunch. This is a perfectly logical, thought out solution!”
Steve hadn’t wanted to say no to a baby to begin with, knowing how Tony had struggled with the idea of becoming a parent. When Steve had first brought it up, their reactions were exact opposite of what they were now, Tony was against it, and Steve had his heart set on it. So when the dust cleared, and they had both had time to think, Steve was heartbroken to tell Tony that he didn’t think adopting a baby would be the best idea. This solution seemed like it might actually work. Of course, they’d still have to hammer out some of the smaller details, but this seemed like a good solution. But only if Tony was one hundred percent sure.
“Tony. Sweetheart. I need you to calm down and breathe for a second okay?” Steve paused so Tony could focus again, “I think this idea could work. Admittedly, I’ll miss you tremendously in the field, and”
And that was all Steve was got out before all of Tony Stark was flying at him in a massive bundle of hugs and thank yous.