starspangledspandex | Post AoU for starkingenuity

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.

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From:

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.

From:

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?"

From:

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.

From:

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."

From:

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."

Edited Date: 2015-05-18 08:33 pm (UTC)

From:

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."

From:

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?"

From:

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."

From:

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."

From:

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."

From:

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.

From:

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."

From:

starkingenuity

The secret smile was hidden against Steve's arm as Tony closed his eyes. What could he say except how oddly content he was right now. In pain, sure, but still content. He let Steve talk it all out before querying again.

He kind of like him so flustered. If only his body didn't hurt so much, he might make use of the bed!

"So. If you've thought a lot about it, what's your conclusion?"

From:

starspangledspandex

His forehead creased, was it wrong to say he still wasn't sure? He felt like it was but that was the truth. He was definitely interested in Tony. He wanted to move forward. He wanted to see if there was more to this. He didn't know what that qualified as exactly.

"I'd like to see where it goes," he told him. "Date you, properly. I think we're good together."

From:

starkingenuity

Huh. Tony had to sit up for that one, leveling his gaze on Steve with one upturned eyebrow. "You... Want to date... Me. Like. Date-date?"

Did people still do that? He opened his mouth to say something else and then closed it again, head tilting. There was so much to say, but Steve looked so earnest.

And he had to agree. They did make a good team.

From:

starspangledspandex

"Yes...?" he agreed, hesitating slightly with a questioning look. Was that not the right answer? Tony seemed surprised--did he not expect Steve to admit to actually liking him? Maybe he didn't return his feelings even as vague as they were at the moment. He added, "If you're interested, if not, that's okay too."

From:

starkingenuity

"Are you asking me out, Steve Rogers?" This was new. Tony did the chasing, the bagging and the release. He had been chased himself, sure, but mostly by crazy stalkers. That didn't count. He had to admit, though, that this was pretty damned nice.

The smile had reached his eyes, despite the pain that still lingered. How could he help himself? He was still a take charge kind of man, but being pampered, despite having anything in the world he wanted, was a nice change of pace.

From:

starspangledspandex

He was still unsure about what Tony was thinking. He was terrible to read. He wished he would give him some kind of signal one way or another.The man smiling, genuinely, was the final push he needed to nod and he said, "Yeah, I suppose I am."

Steve offered him a smile of his own. He supposed that Tony wasn't running for the hills and that should be good enough. "How about it?"

From:

starkingenuity

Sliding his hand along the back of the sofa to Steve's arm, Tony leaned in towards the blond before he shrugged, almost half heartedly. "Well," he said, "I don't have anything else to do." It was a tease and the eyeroll, exaggerated, was there to prove it. "So why not? Let's give it a try." He kissed Steve gently, his mouth wouldn't allow him to do anything else, and settled that arm around his shoulders.

From:

starspangledspandex

Thankfully, he knew Tony well enough that he knew it was a tease before he even signaled it. He appreciated the telegraph though just to take any question out of it. Steve greatly preferred it.

Steve returned the kiss just as gently and smiled in return. "Great, I guess I can actually be a doting boyfriend now, right?"

He chuckles and wetting his lips as he settles in, he adds, "Maybe, if you behave, I'll tell you what I think about when I give myself a hand."

From:

starkingenuity

Sex to dating to boyfriend?

That was a little fast. Tony wasn't sure how that felt. Calling Steve Rogers, Captain America, or anyone really his boyfriend seemed to out of place. But Steve was smiling and Tony liked the smiling.

"I can't say no to doting," he replied instead, fingers the whispy hair at the back of his neck.

From:

starspangledspandex

It was mostly an expression Tony. Steve wasn't about to go broadcasting it everywhere because he knew the older man and considering who they both were to the Avengers it was better to keep quiet.

They both needed to be sure.

"Good," he said, bright grin on his face. "Guess I should have brought you roses."

From:

starkingenuity

"Chocolates are more my speed if you're looking for gift ideas." He did not need people seeing Steve toting around roses. It was sweet but... No. "Or massage oils."

Those broad hands of Steve's would probably feel amazing while they rubbed him down.

"If I wasn't one big bruise right now I might even test those massage skills of yours. I've seen your wrist work with that shield and id like to test it up close and personal."

From:

starspangledspandex

"I already brought you ice cream," he pointed out, raising his eyebrow. It was going to be impossible to gift buy for Tony. The man already had everything.

No, massage oils were clearly better for him to cart around.

"I think the shield is a little different," he mused, though he liked the thought of rubbing his hands all over the older man. He considered for a moment. "How about a rain check? We can wait on the oil."

From:

starkingenuity

Oils were easier to hide! Tony ended up tilting his head against Steve's shoulder, feeling equal parts good and a little strange to be so comfortable this way. It was so... Easy. He didn't know this was suppose to be like that.

"Rain check I can deal with. And the ice cream cream is a good start. Before I pass out on you sitting up, care to try out the bed?"