Chapter Text
The day Steve brought home the dog, Tony knew his world was about to be turned upside down. It wasn’t that he had a dislike toward dogs; with the right training, they could be tolerable. But the one Steve found on the streets of Brooklyn wasn’t going to be easy to tame.
It was hard enough with their busy schedules to find time for themselves, and now training a dog had to fit in there somewhere. It wasn’t going to work and Tony had no problem letting his boyfriend in on his opinions.
“Steve, we-you can’t keep him.” Tony stares the dog down, nose wrinkling in disgust when the dog scratches at its ear. Great, the dirty mutt had fleas.
“Tony, he didn’t have a home,” Steve says, as if that was going to be enough to convince his boyfriend to reconsider. “Look how happy he is.”
The dog wags his tail, panting happily with its slobbery tongue hanging outside of its mouth. Tony grimaces at the mess the dog is making. “Cap, he’s...how do I put this lightly...gross. Yeah, smelly and gross. You gotta take him back.”
Steve frowns at those words. “Take him back? Tony, I’m not taking him back out there. He could get picked up or-”
“Good. Then at least he will be somewhere that’s not here.”
“I’m not taking Dodger-”
“Dodger? You named it?”
“Yeah.” Steve smiles and reaches out to scratch behind Dodger’s ear. Dodger thumps his tail harder against the wooden floor and turns to lick Steve.
The way Steve smiles and giggles from the dog’s affection almost makes Tony change his mind. He’s never seen his boyfriend so happy…well, happy like the way he was now. And Steve’s happiness was always going to come before his own.
Damn it.
Tony sighs harshly, and scrubs a hand along his face. “Steve-”
“Tony, please.” Steve is pleading now. Damn him. Tony can’t deny him anything and he knows it. “I want to keep him. I know what it’s like to feel lost and displaced in the world. I didn’t have a home until you and the team. He needs a home, too.”
“Damn you, Rogers.” Steve is grinning now and Tony quickly points a threatening finger in his direction. “Wait, don’t get excited just yet. We can keep him but I swear to God if that dog-”
“He won’t!” Steve promises. “I can do all the training and I swear he won’t tear up the place.”
“Good. Because between him and Barton…” Tony trails off, picturing the damage the tower will be in when those two team up. Maybe he shouldn’t have let Steve keep the dog.
“Dodge, won’t do that. Will you, boy?” Steve gives Dodger another scratch behind his ear, giggling when he’s rewarded with another lick to the face.
Tony grimaces, stepping back when the dog has set its attention on him and comes over, still wagging its tail. Its nose is cold and wet, and Tony quickly pulls his hand away. “Go. Shoo!” he waves the dog away, ignoring the chuckling coming from his boyfriend.
“Tony, he just wants you to pet him.” Steve chuckles again.
“I don’t want to pet him. Just- Steve, get him out of here.” Tony steps back, keeping one hand out just in case he needs to protect himself. The dog comes closer, his slobbery tongue making contact with Tony’s outstretched hand.
Steve is up and at Tony’s side the second Tony freaks out. He tries to keep the amusement hidden, but he can’t help but crack a smile at his boyfriend’s reaction to their new dog licking him.
“He just likes you,” Steve tries to calm his boyfriend, that amused grin still on his face for Tony to see.
“Yeah, well the feeling is not mutual,” Tony grumbles, making sure to wipe the slobber away on Steve’s shirt.
“One day they will be.”
“Keep wishing, Rogers.”
Tony’s feelings for the dog never shift to anything more. He keeps his space, as much as he physically can anyway. Wherever Steve goes, Dodger was sure to follow. They practically did everything together, and the only time Tony was free from the dirty mutt was when he was down in his lab.
There’s some part of him that regrets letting the dog stay, but then he sees the way Steve brightens up at the sight of the dog, and he’d hate to be the one to crush his boyfriend’s happiness. So whatever feelings he has toward the dog, he pushes them all aside for Steve.
He appears to be the only one that has a dislike for the team's four-legged member. Everyone else on the team has taken a liking to the dog, some even suggesting that the dog become the team's mascot. Tony shut Clint’s idea down real fast.
Putting distance between himself and the dog proves to be a challenge. There are only so many times Tony can use his lab to avoid crossing paths with the furry mutt. The dog is always there, lingering around Tony’s space. Though that could be ignored, sharing his bed was a whole other story.
“Really? The bed, too?” Tony huffs, tugging harder on the blankets around him to get the dog off. His efforts prove futile. The dog peers up at him from its new sleeping spot, and Tony glares at him.
Steve pokes his head out of the connecting bathroom, failing to hide his amusement at the sight. “He looks comfy,” he says with a small shrug, then he’s disappearing to the bathroom again.
Tony rolls his eyes. Of course Steve’s reaction to the dog on their bed would differ from his own. It wasn’t surprising, but it was annoying.
“I’ll sleep on the couch then!” Tony calls out to his boyfriend. He wouldn’t of course, not when he was here first and it was his bed. The dog had no business showing up uninvited and claiming everything as his.
The faucet has stopped running, indicating that Steve was finishing up his nightly routine. The light switches off and Steve appears, still grinning. Tony narrows his eyes at him, suddenly wishing he could wipe that silly grin from his boyfriend’s face.
“I mean it, Steve. If you’d rather snuggle with this fleabag-”
The grin on Steve’s face is gone in an instant, a frown taking its place. “Fleabag? Tony, he has a name. And I know you won’t sleep on the couch.”
“I’m this close, Cap.” Tony uses his index finger and thumb to show Steve just how close he really is to leaving. Steve is smiling again and Tony frowns. “This is the part where you beg me to stay.”
“Is it?” Steve quirks a brow at him. He joins Tony on the bed, crawling over until he’s hovering right above him. “You want me to beg, Stark?”
Tony swallows hard, eyes transfixed on the light blue ones he gets the privilege to stare into every day. “I want you to do something else now,” he says, earning another chuckle from the blond.
“I think I know what it is.” Steve leans down to connect their lips, moaning softly when Tony reaches up to thread his fingers through his hair.
A soft bark from the foot of the bed reminds them that they’re not alone. Steve breaks away, turning his head toward Dodger, a small chuckle escaping him. “Guess someone just wants attention,” he says.
“Yeah, me.” Tony reaches out to pull Steve back when his boyfriend makes an attempt to get up. “Just ignore him. Or better yet, kick him out.”
Steve shakes his head and leans down to kiss Tony again. Tony quickly takes control of the kiss, pulling Steve closer and flipping them over until Steve is on his back and he’s hovering over him. Dodger barks again, and Tony groans.
“Steve, do something about that dog. He won’t even let me kiss you,” Tony complains.
“He’s fine, Tony. He just wants love too.” Steve props himself up on his elbows and calls the dog over, earning another groan from his boyfriend.
“I give up.” Tony rolls over with a huff and shuts his eyes. He does his best to tune out the soft barks the dog produces every time Steve plays with him.
“Come on, Tony,” Steve says, gently patting the genius on the chest. Tony opens his eyes and turns his head to meet Steve’s gaze. “He’s not so bad. I wish you would just give him a chance.”
“Give him a chance? Steve, I don’t do animals. Why do you think I’ve never had one?”
Steve sighs and rolls his eyes. Tony knows a fight is about to break out, and he decides to put an end to it before it begins. “Steve, I’m sorry. I just...he’s everywhere and you’re always ignoring me-”
“Ignoring you? I haven’t ignored you, and I’m sorry you hate Dodger being everywhere but this is his home too. Unless you want me to throw him out?”
Tony gives a small shrug in response. He immediately regrets it.
“Fine. I’ll go too.”
“Steve, wait!” Tony quickly grips Steve’s wrist to prevent him from leaving. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I’ll go.”
“Tony-”
“I’ll be on the couch.”
Steve rips himself away with a huff. “You’re being immature, Tony. He’s part of our family.”
“I’m gonna go before this gets worse.” Tony’s already made up his mind and he doesn’t give Steve a chance to stop him. Not that Steve would at this point. He was clearly annoyed with him and a night away from each other might do them some good.
The couch does the job, offering as much comfort as it possibly can, but it doesn’t compare to large bed he usually shares with Steve. Tony almost considers swallowing his pride and going back to the bedroom, but then he remembers the dog is currently hogging his spot and with a huff he forces himself to get as comfortable as he possibly can.
Sleep doesn’t come, not that he was expecting it to. Going to bed angry with Steve made it impossible to get any sleep. Tony let his mind wander, wondering if Steve was struggling just as much as if he was or if he was perfectly content sharing the bed with the dog.
Tony rolls over with a sigh, letting his eyes land on the ceiling above him. He has no problem taking the blame for their current fight. It was his jealousy that put him on the couch.
“This is ridiculous,” he sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. A soft bark in the dark responds and he sits up, eyes drawn to the figure near his feet.
The dog comes closer, his long nails clicking against the floor and he stops beside Tony’s side. Tony moves his hand away when something wet brushes against his skin.
“We’re not friends,” he tells the dog, getting another bark in response. Tony sighs and reaches out for the dog, gently patting his head. “Guess you’re not so bad. We’re still not friends…not yet anyway.”
Dodger seems happy with that answer and he barks again. Tony can’t help but smile and he reaches out to scratch behind Dodger’s ear.
“Are we bonding? Steve is gonna be happy.”
“He is.”
Tony’s head snaps up and finds Steve lingering near the end of the couch. He doesn’t seem upset anymore, the small smile on his face proof that he was willing to forgive and move on.
“I told you he wasn’t so bad,” Steve says, coming closer to pat Dodger’s head. “He’s a good dog.”
“Yeah.” Tony finds himself agreeing. It surprises both himself and Steve. For the longest time it appeared that Tony would never give the dog a chance. But he’d do anything for Steve. “Don’t get your hopes up, Cap. We’re not friends yet.”
“I know.” Steve is still smiling. “Are you coming back to bed?”
“Can I?”
Steve rolls his eyes playfully and leans down to peck Tony on the lips. Tony is quick to pull Steve back in for another kiss. Their moment is interrupted again, but this time Tony can’t find it in himself to be upset and he laughs.
“I don’t think we’re ever having alone time again,” Tony jokes, and he reaches out to scratch Dodger’s ear. Dodger barks happily and licks along Tony’s hand; Tony doesn’t pull away this time.
“I’m glad you two are finally getting along,” Steve says. He moves further away from the couch, gesturing for Tony to follow. “Come to bed, Tony.”
The way he says it has Tony jumping up from the couch and rushing to follow Steve back to the bedroom. Dodger must think they’re playing some kind of game because he follows, wagging his tail excitedly.
“He’s not…” Tony trails off, nodding toward the dog. “Because that would be awkward.”
“He’ll be fine out here,” Steve assures and he beckons for Tony to follow.
Tony almost feels bad for closing the door on Dodger, but then Steve is kissing him again and for a moment he forgets that they even own a dog now. It’s not until the whining and scratching on the door starts does Tony remember that it’s not just him and Steve anymore. That was going to take some getting used to.
It didn’t happen overnight, but Tony eventually came around to the idea of having a dog and he grew closer with Dodger. Their relationship changed so much that Dodger started following Tony wherever he went. At first it was slightly annoying, but after a while Tony didn’t mind the dog’s presence.
He considered them friends. When Steve wasn’t around to keep him company, Dodger was there to listen. Tony trusted his new friend down in his lab, and more often than not, Steve would find both of them down there.
Though they did spend most of the day in the lab, Tony enjoyed curling up on the sofa with Dodger right beside him. Which is where Steve finds them when he returns from a briefing.
“I swear you two are always together,” Steve says with a shake of his head. He collapses on the couch beside Tony, letting his head fall back against the sofa. Dodger is up from his spot near Tony to greet Steve with a lick.
“Traitor,” Tony tells Dodger, then he turns to his boyfriend with a frown. “Thanks a lot, Cap. We were bonding.”
“You’re always bonding, Tony.”
There was no point in denying it. Tony shrugs his shoulders. “Didn’t you say you wanted us to be friends?”
“I did.” Steve nods with a smile. He leans closer to peck Tony on the cheek. “Believe me I’m glad you two are closer.”
“I guess this is the part where you want me to say you were right and I was wrong?” Tony questions and Steve chuckles. “Fine. You were right. He’s not so bad. Happy now?”
“I’m happy.” Steve smiles and rubs Dodger’s head, chuckling when Dodger comes closer to rest his head in his lap.
Dodger lets out a huff, then he buries his nose against Steve’s stomach, barking softly and pawing at the area. Tony watches with interest, one brow raising in confusion. He’s never had Dodger act this way around him and he’s never seen it done before with Steve.
“Hey, Cap what’s up with him?” Tony asks.
Steve huffs out a laugh. “I was going to tell you, but I guess he beat me to it.”
“I’m confused as to what’s going on here. Tell me what?”
“I’m pregnant.”
“I’m sorry...did you just say…” There was no way Tony had heard correctly. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes,” Steve says slowly, almost cautiously. “Is this okay?”
“It’s better! We’re having a baby!” Tony exclaims, pulling Steve close to connect their lips. He completely forgets that Dodger is squished between them until he’s barking and wiggling free.
Tony laughs and moves back to give Dodger a chance to jump off the couch, but he never does and instead he stays nestled up beside Steve.
“Guess someone is protective,” Tony comments.
“Yeah, guess he is,” Steve agrees and he gives Dodger another pat on the head. “So you’re really okay with this?” He asks Tony.
“I’m scared to be honest. A baby is...well, you know how much work babies are.”
“I know. But you’ve done so well with Dodger that I just know you’ll be a great father.”
Tony smiles and reaches out to pet Dodger. “Yeah, I guess I did get some practice.”