Work Text:
When the Avengers get back from their most recent mission, everyone is tense and still on high alert. Natasha and Bruce leave to go freshen up. Steve starts cooking in the kitchen. Clint takes a seat on the couch and Thor joins him.
But Tony…he needs to keep his hands busy. He eyes the piano that hasn’t been touched ever since he got it. Thor sits up and looks over at Tony, who stares at the beautifully carved and wooden piano. He doesn’t say anything or urge Tony on, eventually the man starts walking towards it.
Tony examines it, brushing the dust away. He pulls out the chair from underneath the pretty instrument and tests it out. He glides his fingers over the keys, making sure each of them work. The piano is in perfect condition and it’s the first time Tony’s touched it since he bought it.
There are music sheets on the top, wrinkled and old, but Tony gently takes them. It’s sheet music for the song Gymnopédie number one. Tony smiles softly. He remembers that one. His mom used to play it all the time, especially when he was young.
Tony shakes his head and props the sheet music up on the piano. He relaxes his shoulders and cracks his knuckles. Tony begins to play the song. It’s soft and slow and sad, but everyone in the room suddenly loses all the tension they were holding. Including Tony.
Steve smiles as he walks into the lounge, watching Tony play. Clint and Thor also stare, Clint with his mouth agape. Thor chuckles quietly and Clint’s mouth snaps shut. Steve gets back to the kitchen before anything burns.
“What’s going on? Why’s it—“ Natasha’s voice asks but her question is quickly answered when she hears the piano. She walks deeper into the room to see Tony sitting at the piano. Natasha’s guard drops and with it so does any left over tension, like it had with the others. She smiles and goes to sit on the couch with Clint and Thor.
Bruce walks in not long after Nat did, and he has the same questions though he keeps them to himself. Once he figures out what’s happening, he stands in the kitchen with Steve and watches Tony from a distance.
“He’s good. Wonder what else he can play.” Bruce whispers with a smile to Steve.
Steve doesn’t turn to look at him, focused on cooking, but he hears it anyway. “It’s..beautiful. I didn’t even know he could play. Thought it was for decoration. I mean come on, I thought it was obvious Tony didn’t have time for musical instruments.” Steve grumbles even though he says it all with a fond smile on his face.
Bruce laughs, short and brief. “Yeah, maybe it’s a thing from when he was younger?”
“Ah, who cares, it’s what we all needed. God damn, Tony always knows just what we need.” Steve shakes his head and pulls the bacon and eggs off the stove.
“Right? It’s like we’re an open book.” Bruce whispers as he follows Steve into the lounge.
Steve nods his head at him. “Maybe we are, Banner.” He says before digging into his post-mission meal.
The song fades out and there’s the rustling of paper. Tony sits there, looking through the sheet music when suddenly there’s a loud CLAP! He whips his head around to find Thor stood up and clapping. Slowly, the rest of the Avengers join him. Tony ducks his head and turns back around.
“Wow. Didn’t know you could play, Stark.” Clint comments, a smirk spread across his face.
“Yeah, shocking I know. Get over it. Hey Friday?” Tony waves his hand around, as if trying to grab the A.I’s attention.
“Yes, boss?” FRIDAY asks into the quiet room.
Tony quickly flips through the papers again and huffs. “Pull up the uh..sheet music for Hallelujah. I can’t seem to find it here.”
Bruce gasps. Natasha leans back, amused. Steve and Clint have a matching look of shock on their faces while Thor just looks happy to be there.
“Gonna sing along, Tony?” Nat tilts her head in questioning.
Tony smirks as a holographic display of the chords for Hallelujah. “Maybe. If I do I’ll probably blow your socks off with my great talent.”
Clint snorts. “Yeah, right. Like you can sing.”
Tony raises an eyebrow. “It’s not like you can either, Clint.”
“So you’re admitting it.” Clint teases, slumping in his seat.
Tony just hums and shakes his head fondly. “Friday, pull up the lyrics for Hallelujah, in case these losers wanna sing along.”
FRIDAY doesn’t say anything, but does as requested. Clint scoffs.
“I will happily sing along to your playing if it makes you happy, Tony.” Thor announces to the group and it’s the first thing he’s said since the end of their mission.
Tony nods his head in appreciation and finally begins to play. The room falls silent and as Tony plays, the lyrics move along. Natasha sneaks out her phone to start recording, though it’s only just for the audio. She won’t need the visual, this’ll be stuck in her mind for a little while.
About a third of the way through, Bruce starts singing, which encourages Thor. Their voices are deep but not loud.
Sometime after the second chorus, Steve joins them and it blends with Bruce’s and Thor’s voices.
Eventually, Clint gives in and starts to sing along.
Natasha has to bite her lip to stop herself. Clint nods at her, as if saying ‘come on, you know you want to’ and it’s then when Tony has all of the Avengers excluding himself singing along to Hallelujah.
Tony smiles stupidly wide and joins them on the next chorus, completing the euphony of voices, low, deep and soft, blending and dancing with the music.
All too soon, they come to the end of the song. Tony repeats the last line of music again just because he can. When Tony pushes himself away from the piano, the silence is broken by Steve.
“Woah. That was…” He shakes his head, smiling and speechless.
“The best thing you’ve ever experienced? Well, don’t get used to it, Spangles.” Tony says, patting Steve’s shoulder when he walks over. “Anyone hungry?” Tony asks the room, getting various agreeing noises.
About twenty minutes later, everyones sat around in random places and chowing down some pizza. It’s quiet and calm, like it normally is once everyone cools off from the battle. They’ll have this moment together before they go off to do their own things. But it doesn’t matter because they have each other, right here right now, and that’s all they need.