Post AoU for starkingenuity

[starspangledspandex]

He's old. Old enough to have settled down. Old enough he's letting other people save the world and only stepping in from time to time. There's no 'Honey I'm home' when he steps through door. There's silence and quiet. He makes dinner for one. His bed is cold. He sits and reads the paper while he watches the world move on outside. There's laughter in the hallway. Footsteps. No one knocks on his door. He eats leaning against the counter in the kitchen. Alone. All alone. 'I got no plans tomorrow night' echos in his mind.

Suddenly, no one is on the streets. There are no numbers in his phone. Everything empty and gone and there's just Steve. Steve standing in nothingness. 'Man out of time' 'Nothing but a soldier' 'You can't live without a war' 'Go home, Steve'

He jolted awake, hand raising to rub at his face and it shouldn't have been a nightmare at all but it is anyway. How alone he felt in this century. His friends helped, they did, but they couldn't always be here. He lived and breathed his life as an Avenger. What else did he have? Nothing. He shook it off, like he always did and got dressed, laced up his boots. Most of his team was out of the picture right now. Off doing whatever they did on leave.

Steve paced his room at the New Avenger facility, paced the hallways and spoke to the Agents that were here. He took a walk outside and thought of Tony. The billionaire visited every once in awhile but it'd been awhile. He didn't even know what the man was up to now but Steve... Steve needed to connect with someone to shake off the dredges of his loneliness, someone that wasn't just working here, someone he had a connection to.

So he called Tony.

Comments

[starspangledspandex]

"How long does something like that take?" Steve asked, because it wasn't like he even began to understand how you could possibly replace teeth of all things.

He opened the box and claimed his own piece, sitting easily at the foot of the bed. Steve paused in his chewing for a moment before resuming. "She knows something or thinks she does, she hasn't expressly said what yet."

Maybe because they hadn't either. "I don't know how much she knows but she saw us when I came down to free you."

[starkingenuity]

Tony couldn't quite picture what it had been like. The whole thing had been such a relief. He remembered crying, but he wasn't ashamed of that. And he remembered Steve's hands cupping his face, stroking the back of his neck. Was he hugged? Was there more to it? His brain had been so overloaded that he truly did not know.

Tony offered half of a still crooked smirk, lips pressed together.

"I might have hugged her that was too," he supplied. But she would not have touched him back the way that Steve had.

And oh, Steve had touched him so sweetly.

"Probably doesn't matter. I don't imagine that you have leave again for awhile..."

[starspangledspandex]

No, her behavior made it pretty clear that she thought something was up between him and Tony. As far as he knew, it was based entirely on those moments and the fact he was actually gone for leave. Anyone could look at the flight log and see where he was when he was gone.

Steve tried not to be disappointed at the comment. It was stupid. They fooled around, fucked, but that didn't mean much nowadays. He didn't even know if he wanted it to mean more but hearing Tony restrict things to leave just... didn't sit well with him.

He took another bite of his pizza and tried to brush it off, "No, probably not, not with Bucky to sort out. We're looking into that arms dealer in Wakanda. He had a network; we're going to find the rest of them. We can't have vibranium being weaponized."

[starkingenuity]

Steve had a good poker face but the disappointment stretched into his eyes. Tony found his held tilting slightly, putting down the unused portion of the pizza. It hurt to chew still but he didn't want to look like he was a baby to complain.

"Are you going to be gone for awhile? I need you to lug my things into my room here before you go. I'm not going to coordinate tech from the Tower. Too compromised. Easier to just tap into SHIELD software here."

His dark eyes scanned over Steve's face.

"Tell your quartermaster that I need at least a queen sized bed while you're at it. I'm not a soldier. I'm not going to be treated like in bunking in."

[starspangledspandex]

"We don't have plans to move just yet," he replied with a shrug, hoping that meant he successfully shook it off and he would have to sort his feelings out later. He could ask Wanda to help with that but it felt like cheating.

He finished his piece and reached for another one. "We'll probably go before the week is out. I want to run a few drills to shake some dust off. You're welcome to join us if you feel up to it."

Steve gave him an amused look, "I'll lug your things to your room and requisition you a bed. Since you pay for it, they aren't going to argue."

That look piqued his curiosity. What did he need a double bed for exactly? Some people liked the space but it seemed too pointed.

[starkingenuity]

Yes Steve. That was the point. Tony hadn't been planning on staying. Or joining in. In fact, this here was sort of spur of the moment. He wasn't sure if he should kick himself just yet for making such a rash decision.

He'd lie through his teeth if anyone happened to question what he was doing since he hadn't even been aware of this mission until now. It was all semantics.

"True." He sighed at the pizza and then looked back up at Steve. "I need a blender."

[starspangledspandex]

They've both been lonely. Maybe this was something they both needed. Maybe something more. He couldn't tell just yet. He certainly didn't think that Tony was staying just because he pouted a little. He took the man at his word.

Steve finished his third slice of pizza and frowned down at the one in Tony's lap. "I'm not sure it'll taste the same as a smoothie but I'm sure we have a blender somewhere."

[starkingenuity]

"You're right. It won't. Maybe you can see if you can wrangle me up some ice cream? Sounds like a healthy alternative?" Well what could be worse than pizza? And it would give Steve an excuse to see him after he dealt with the people setting up his room?

Maybe all of this was becoming obvious but Tony was too old to care. He missed companionship. Was it so bad that he fell into bed with Steve? Was it so bad that they have a connection? They both needed it.

[starspangledspandex]

Totally a better option. He raised an eyebrow at the request and decided he might as well just cooperate on this one. "What flavor?" he asked, because why fight it? He figured if it helped him feel better then why not?

If this kept up though, Steve might do something stupid. Something stupid like assume there was more here than friendship.

[starkingenuity]

"Neapolitan." He liked a little bit of everything. "But if you're a vanilla sort of guy, I think I can handle that too." He might look a mess but he could still flirt.

Tony's smile died, but only because he was in pain. Shuffling down on the pillows, he lightly pushed Steve off the bed with his foot.

"Chop chop. Faster there's a bed and ice cream, the happier your financer will be."

[starspangledspandex]

Well, at least that was a somewhat normal flavor of ice cream and not something that was going to be impossible to find. Flirting was an even faster way to get him to do something stupid. As evidenced by spending two days in bed with him. He chuckled and slid off the bed, giving the man a mock salute, "Yes, Sir. Feel better, Sir."

He stole another piece of pizza on his way out of the infirmary, feeling a little better and headed for the Quartermaster to relay Tony's demand for a double bed. The man frowned at him but Stark did fund them and he really couldn't argue. Steve headed to the Quinjet next, so he could unload Tony's things and he carried them to one of the bigger suites in the facility. Tony wouldn't settle for anything less.

Then, after finding the cafeteria lacking in Neopolitan ice cream, he took his bike in town to find a grocery store. He relayed his plan to Natasha who got that amused tone of voice with him and hooked up his comm just in case. He was glad it was only a twenty minute round trip. Twenty-five, with the five he spent being stupid.

People got flowers in the hospital right? They would brighten the man's suite up. He didn't bother trying to talk himself out of them. It was too late. He could make lame excuses if Tony acted weird about it.

[starkingenuity]

Bucky was still labeled as asleep when Steve got back, the flowers hardly hidden by that grocery bag he was carrying. No one really questioned him and with the Avengers mostly busy keeping track of arms dealers and the Winter Soldier, he was able to get to what had become Stark's room over the last hour or so.

Tony was officially released by the medical team just about the same time and he charmed one young SHIELD agent into taking him to where he needed to go.

He would find Steve with ice cream. And flowers. Tony actually paused in his tracks and blinked up at the blond. "I don't think I've ever gotten flowers."

[starspangledspandex]

"People in the hospital get flowers," he shrugged, like it was no big deal and opened the door to Tony's suite. "And your room doesn't have any pictures or anything yet so these will help." It would cheer things up considerably to have a little color in the room. Trust Steve on this one; he knew what he was talking about.

He was glad no one else questioned him on the flowers. They were spur of the moment. It was only afterward he started thinking about what they might mean to Tony.

"Ice cream?" he asked, moving to the kitchen to put them both down. Steve was smart enough to get some with an actual vase. One he dumped water into as soon as he could.

[starkingenuity]

"And here I thought that you were trying to court me, Captain," Tony said, amused. He settled himself down on the actually fairly nice sofa, sniffing at the arm rest just to be sure it had been cleaned, before he relaxed enough to close his eyes. His head was still spinning. Exhaustion would do that to a man.

He turned only when he heard the water going and gazed up at the blond in his not quite kitchen tending to the flowers. Sue him for feeling pampered and enjoying it. This was different than paying someone to care.

Steve genuinely did.

[starspangledspandex]

"Well gee, if I thought flowers would work, I'd have started there," he grinned and yes, the 'gee' was completely on purpose. They skipped a few steps in there. Steve didn't even know where to start with a relationship that started backwards. If that was even what it was, which it wasn't, and Steve needed to remember that or he would end up hurt.

He scooped out ice cream for them both and dragged the bowls into the living room with him. He sat down gently on the other end of the sofa and offered Tony his bowl. "When are they are they going to fix your teeth?"

[starkingenuity]

"Tomorrow morning. Luckily they're all in the back. Unluckily, those are the ones I chew with and why did you buy me flowers, let me do the nasty with you and still insist on sitting over there?"

Tony couldn't help but be amused. Steve might be trying to keep the demarcation line fluid here and Tony had initially tried to as well but getting kidnapped while still being able to smell Steve on himself hadn't helped matters.

Tony eased himself over towards Steve and leaned against his side with his ice cream. He supposed it was only fair. He was smaller.

[starspangledspandex]

"Don't need to chew ice cream," he observed, ever the helpful person. He spooned some in his mouth and shrugged at the question. He didn't know. The problem was the lack of communication. Steve didn't know where the line was here. Even if relationships like this existed back during the war, he certainly didn't take part in one.

So basically, he was keeping it fluid because he didn't know any better.

Steve smiled slightly when Tony leaned against him and teased, "Well, you're so fragile. I didn't want you to fall apart."

[starkingenuity]

"Nothing slips by you, Cap," Tony smirked about the ice cream comment. There was a reason he asked for it. It felt good on his swollen jaw too, so that was a plus.

Though Tony was snuggling with the blond, the truth was, he had no idea that he needed to draw a line. He'd just step over it or ignore it anyway. And besides, he didn't really do relationships. He and Pepper hadn't started out properly either. She worked for him for years before he even noticed that she was a woman. And pretty. And the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He didn't know what he was doing with Steve, honestly.

And he was terrible at talking things out.

"For the record, I'm not fragile. You're just a tank. Not my fault."

[starspangledspandex]

He shook his head, amused, because he knew was being teased. Steve just hoped it helped Tony to feel better and he eyed the man curled up against him, frowning thoughtfully.

Steve's entire problem was he thought too much. He preferred by when things were defined and he knew a lot of people disagreed with that point of view. They wanted things loose and fluid with no commitment.

"Oh, is that it?" He laughed lightly, set his empty bowl down and then wrapped an arm around Tony. "My mistake."

[starkingenuity]

And with that arm, they were officially cuddling. Tony turned ever so slightly, shifting Steve's arm so that it was more comfortable. "Nothing I say is ever wrong," he said, eating far more slowly than Steve did, his bowl still on his knee as his head fell against the broad shoulder. He was careful with what he ate, thoughtful.

They probably had to talk about this.

"We've done eating out, sex and now flowers and snuggling. What's going on with us, Cap?"

[starspangledspandex]

He raised both eyebrows and then crinkled up his face a little. "Really? Hm. I might have to write that down so I remember it," he told him thoughtfully. "Or so I can prove you wrong."

Steve was almost surprised that Tony was the one to bring this up. He expected to have to do it and he planned to have a chance to think about it before they talked about it.

"I don't know," he admitted, tilting his head to eye Tony. "We didn't do this like I'm used to."

[starkingenuity]

"From what I hear, it's not like you do this all that often," Tony pointed out, lifting his eyes towards Steve. He was entirely too comfortable like this, having expecting otherwise. It was a nice change of pace to having women fawn over him and pluck at his shirt buttons.

He scooped another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, trying to keep the flow of conversation casual. Steve wasn't exactly a runner but it was still sort of sticky.

"And this is a little new for me too. I'm just a quick learner."

[starspangledspandex]

"No, I don't," he agreed because it was true. Romanoff, like Bucky, had tried to set him up on any number of dates. None of the ones after the ice had failed as spectacularly but they hadn't worked out either. "I've never been very good at it."

Or so he thought. Surely if he was doing something right then it would have worked, right?

"Bucky always said I tried too hard."

[starkingenuity]

Tony paused thoughtfully and then smirked. "So does that mean you're not that into me?" The flowers and the ice cream didn't really follow the try-too-hard attitude that Bucky had.

He didn't need to be the center of someone's world (he was already the center of everyone's anyway) but maybe he liked the idea of someone actually giving a real shit about him.

Since Pepper had left, he'd been missing that.

[starspangledspandex]

"What? No," he paused, then realized how that sounded. "Wait. Thing is, I never really thought about it until I spent leave with you. Here and there before that, you know. I didn't think you were interested and I didn't really know for sure so I just never tried."

When he was actively and consciously wooing someone, he tried too hard. This was completely accidental.

"I've thought about it more now," he admitted, swallowing slightly. "I just couldn't tell what you wanted and I didn't want to push."