ext_298518 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
macx-larabee.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
cap_ironman2008-08-13 08:16 am
macx-larabee.livejournal.com) wrote in cap_ironman2008-08-13 08:16 am
Entry tags:
Fic: Collision, part 5
TITLE: Collision, part 5
Iron Man (movie)
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13 (bordering on mild, mild R)
PAIRING: Steve/Tony, obviously :)
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money
Author’s Voice of Warning (aka Author’s Note):
English is not my first language; it’s German. This is the best I can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are...
FEEDBACK: Loved
“So… is this a date?”
Steve trailed a finger over the edge of the fiberglass case of the arc reactor, then onto warm, human skin. He was still shocked and amazed at what Tony had gone through, what he had survived. The Extremis had left him with the reactor and no one knew why. Maybe the nanotubes had found it was a necessary part of Tony, maybe there had been a glitch in the programming, maybe it was some other reason. It was there, smoothly inserted into the flesh and bone of the chest. There were no more edges, it no longer looked like a foreign object shoved into Tony’s body. It was molded to the curve of his chest. It gave off no heat, just the cool, beautiful light. The reactor powered the suit and it had kept the shrapnel from Stark’s heart. The shrapnel was gone, the reactor remained, and it still powered the armor.
Tony placed a hand over Steve’s questing fingers. His eyes reflected the inner turmoil, the muted fear, the disgust, the longing – and his doubt. The man projected such self-assurance, such aloofness, such arrogance, but Steve had found someone else underneath. Someone who was ashamed of his one remaining scar, who compared himself to the other Avengers and found himself lacking, and who saw his contribution to the team as minor.
Steve leaned over and kissed him, leaving his hand on the device. Tony wrapped one arm around Rogers’ waist, the other carded into the short hair on the back of his head. His mouth opened, welcoming Steve’s kiss.
They had retreated into the living room. The TV was running, but Steve had stopped paying attention a long time ago. Pizza, half eaten and still in the carton, littered the table. Next to it were bottles of beer and soda.
Tony’s shirt was unbuttoned, hanging loosely on his slender frame. Steve had lost his t-shirt a while back, too. He liked touching Tony. He liked exploring the sinewy frame. There were no scars of any kind, thanks to Extremis. Nothing blemished the lightly tanned skin.
Steve plundered Tony’s mouth again, pushing him back into the couch. The other man let him, making soft little sounds that only encouraged Steve more. He wouldn’t let anything take this away from him. Anything at all.
“So… is this a date?” Tony asked when they parted, eyes full of mischief.
Steve loved that expression. It was so different from the mask he wore as Tony Stark, CEO and billionaire industrialist. It was the private man, someone who sometimes came out and wanted to play. It wasn’t the person who was Iron Man. It also wasn’t the Tony Stark who had the money and supplied the gear for the Avengers. It was a different person Steve had caught only once or twice.
Right now Tony wore no masks at all. He was just himself. Not vulnerable, but more open.
“If it is, we’re already making out,” Steve replied, trailing questing fingers over the curve of Tony’s ribs.
“Hm, what would your mother say?”
“She’d warn me of guys like you.”
“Thought as much.”
“But I like guys like you.”
Tony grinned. “Good for me then, hm?”
Steve nuzzled his neck. “Very good.”
Tony made a noise between a sigh and a groan as Steve found a sweet spot, and he squirmed as the blond used his considerable skill to torment him with it. He didn’t just give in, though. He ran his hand over the perfectly sculpted body, across warm, tanned skin, down the back and to the hips, until he reached the firm behind. He pulled Steve closer and Rogers gasped a little at the contact.
Grabbing Tony’s hands he pushed them against the couch. The other man grinned up at him, eyes alight, face flushed. It was a good look on him, a very good look, and Steve planned to put it there more often.
“Bedroom?” Tony offered.
Steve laughed softly. “You assume much for a first date.”
“I think we’ve been dating for a whole lot longer,” was the quiet, more serious reply.
Steve blinked, then nodded slowly. Yes, they had. All those nights spent together, talking, getting to know the other. Even each battle fought side-by-side.
“And seriously, I haven’t gotten any in a long time,” Tony went on conversationally, one hand playfully caressing Steve’s side. “My hand was my consolation prize for too long. Which I hope doesn’t send you running off screaming.”
Steve gazed at the arc reactor again, fingers brushing over the casing. “No running,” he said softly. “No screaming. I think you’re perfect as you are.”
Tony blushed. He really blushed. Steve was fascinated.
“I’m far from it,” Stark finally replied, refusing to meet his eyes.
“You are. For me you are.”
“Steve, listen…”
“No, you listen. I want you as you are. I didn’t fall for someone else, Tony. I fell for you.”
“You… fell for me?”
Steve smiled. “Haven’t figured that one out yet? And here I thought you were so brilliant. Yes, Tony Stark, I fell for you. You think I’d be here if I hadn’t?”
Tony didn’t answer and Steve suppressed a sigh. He leaned forward and kissed the other man, coaxing the lips to open and their tongues to meet.
“I’m not so cheap, Tony,” he whispered when they parted, lips against lips. “I want this. With you. Very much.”
There was such hope in Tony’s eyes, such need, it almost took his breath away. He was probably the first person aside from Rhodey, Pepper and maybe a doctor to see the arc reactor. Stark hadn’t had a woman’s – or man’s – touch for a long time because of the device. But to Steve he was perfect. He wanted him just the way he was – and had been. Tony could be an arrogant, ruthless bastard, but it wasn’t him. He was more. He didn’t show it in public, but Tony was warm and gentle and loving and caring.
Tony buried his face against Steve’s neck, warm breath ghosting over the blond’s skin. He nibbled at the crease of skin and kissed him.
“Thank you. Now… how about we do something about my long dry-spell…. And yours?”
The mischief was back, as was the light in the dark eyes.
Steve chuckled, only too happy to comply.
* * *
Steve woke throughout the dawn hours. It was still dark outside, but the first signs of imminent sunrise could already be seen. His bladder had woken him and he found himself drawn between ignoring it as long as he could and going right away. He felt warm, comfortable, next to the man with whom he had shared more than just body heat a few hours before. He pushed himself up and looked down at the dark head. In the twilight of the room, Tony's features appeared smooth and relaxed. He lay on his back, one arm flung out, the other on his stomach. Like Steve, he was naked underneath the covers.
Tony was such a contradiction. He was cold and hard, relentless and a total bastard when it came to business contracts or business partners. But he could charm them, too. He could wrap someone around his little finger, give the buyers a show they would never forget. He was flashy and superficial if he wanted to be.
He was Iron Man. Powerful and courageous. He was an Avenger and not just the provider of money, as he saw himself. He was a valued member of the team. They needed the genius and the technology and the sheer battering ram power the repulsors could have. Behind Iron Man, maybe even meshed into him, was the engineer, the genius, the wizard. Tony was such an incredible mind and it was dizzying and beautiful and awe-inspiring to watch him work. Steve had never talked to a man who had such vast engineering knowledge that spanned more than his own life time. You could probably wake him at night and he would be able to build a complete engine from scrap.
He had built the arc reactor from scrap, Steve reminded himself. That alone was… more than amazing. It was incredible.
Still Tony saw himself as lacking compared to the other Avengers. He had no mutant super powers, but neither had Steve. Steve was an icon; Tony was… respected but not really loved. He was accepted like one would accept a necessary evil. It was what he had told Steve. It was what he believed.
Steve had no idea how he could remedy this, how he could help Tony understand that the others wouldn’t leave him to fend for himself in any given situation. He was there for each and every one of them; they would be, too.
His bladder urged him to leave the warmth of the bed and he hurried back in record time, slipping in next to his lover. Steve’s body twinged and complained in very unfamiliar places. Tony hadn’t been his first male lover. People always thought him to be too innocent in some areas, but like Tony wore his cloak, so did Steve. The 1940s hadn’t been the Age of Innocence. He had experience. And their encounter had been breathtaking. Tony had been slow and gentle, careful and loving. He had also been starved of touch and affection and the simple pleasures of sex. Steve planned on fulfilling that need and give him that pleasure.
He slipped off into a light doze that was broken two hours later. Tony had left the bed and hadn’t returned. The spot at Steve’s side was cool to the touch. Rogers slipped out as well and took a shower, dressed, and went in search for the other man.
“Jarvis?” he asked quietly.
“Yes, Captain?”
He rolled his eyes. The AI could be as stubborn and sarcastic as his master.
“Where’s Tony?”
“In the kitchen.”
Not the workshop. Good. Steve padded through the humungous living room into the open kitchen. Tony was leaning against the ceiling-to-floor window, coffee mug in hand, gazing at the bright blue ocean.
“Hey,” Steve greeted him. “Good morning.”
Tony glanced over his shoulder, smiling. It was a relaxed smile that did a lot to ease Steve’s subconscious fear.
“Hey,” was the lazy reply. "How do you feel?"
"Sore." Steve smiled ruefully.
"It'll pass." There was a brief hesitation, then, "Regrets?"
He looked into the suddenly uncomfortable eyes. "No," Steve answered truthfully. "None."
And why would he have them? He was his own person, he was of age, had been of age for a while now, even before he had involuntarily been frozen, and could decide whom he slept with.
“Coffee?” Tony offered, sounding more relaxed than Steve had ever heard or seen him.
“You left some?” Rogers teased.
“I’ll even share.”
“How gracious.”
A lazy smirk. “That’s me.”
Steve poured himself a cup and joined his lover at the window. They didn’t talk, but it felt like a companionable silence. Tony’s glances had Steve smile and the other man smirked a little in return.
Finally Steve closed the distance and placed a soft kiss on Tony’s lips, feeling the scrape of the goatee. Tony’s response was just as gentle and he wrapped an arm around Steve’s waist, pulling him flush against him.
“Take a day off,” Steve suggested, voice low, lips at Tony’s ear.
“Hm?”
“You. Me. Nothing else. No Extremis.”
“I can’t…”
“You can.”
“Steve…”
“You can. One single day. The world won’t end and the company won’t crash.” He nibbled at one ear, feeling Tony shiver. “One day.”
“Okay,” was finally the answer.
Steve nuzzled one temple. “Extremis off.”
“Off,” Tony promised.
“Just you and me?”
“Yes.”
Steve sealed their lips together. He wanted to get to know this man again, as a different person, as someone who opened up to him, had opened up to him. As his lover and partner.
“So what’s the plan?” Tony asked, sounding flirtatious.
“Have you ever been to Coney Island?”
It got Steve a burst of laughter, almost breathless. “You want to go to an amusement park?”
“Yeah. You mind?”
“No! It’s just…” Tony grinned. “It’s you.”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “It is?”
“Hm, one hundred percent.”
Tony kissed him and Steve again discovered just how good the man was. Tony had a reputation. He lived up to it. Completely.
When they finally separated, Steve was leaning against the window, the panes cool against his back, and Tony was watching him with a hooded, very much pleased expression.
“You’re not getting out of that deal,” Steve grinned.
“Well, damn,” was the dry reply.
“You’ll enjoy yourself.”
Tony looked doubtful, but he followed Steve back to the bedroom. They showered – separately, since anything else would have led to more sex – Tony had more coffee, and then they were off. By subway. Steve insisted.
*
Tony did enjoy himself. Dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, running shoes, and a leather jacket – all so expensive, you could clothe a family for a year with the money, Steve suspected -- he blended in. The baseball cap helped. Steve stood out, no matter what he wore. He was just… big and handsome and Captain America, with or without a uniform. People looked at him. Tony grinned as he watched Steve blush as a pair of teenagers flirted with him, as a woman tried to invite him on a date, or when an older lady told him he reminded her of her husband, god bless him, when he had been younger. For some reason he wasn’t jealous.
Steve finally pushed away from the latest admirer, a bubbly blonde who might have fit Tony’s prey scheme a long time ago, and walked back to Stark.
“Told you,” Tony said softly as they headed toward the beach, eyes glinting. “Everybody loves you.”
Steve looked at him long and hard, looking for something. Tony just smiled.
“I don’t want everybody,” Steve finally said, voice serious.
Tony felt himself shiver a little at the intensity. He didn’t look at the blond next to him, kept his eyes on the Atlantic. There weren’t too many people here this time of the year. Tourist season was over for summer and soon there would only be the old ladies in their fur jackets, feeding the sea gulls and talking Russian. They had their stretch of beach all to themselves.
“Tony?”
The voice was soft but still laced with a command. He had to look.
“I love you.”
Tony knew he was staring. He had hoped to settle for ‘I like you’ and time together, but this was too much in such a short time. His brain was still short-circuiting over the fact that Captain America was bi. Now Steve loved him?
“Steve…”
“Don’t try to tell me I don’t,” Rogers went on, voice firm now. “I do.”
“Okay,” was all he managed.
“It’s not impossible to love you, Tony,” Steve added.
Was he reading minds now, too?!
“And I’ll prove it to you.”
Tony drew a steadying breath. Things were really cascading now. A strong, warm hand on his thigh had him meet the intense blue eyes again. Steve leaned over and brushed their lips together. His hand drew calming caresses along the butter-soft fabric of the washed-out jeans. Tony shivered, trying to stop that electric feeling that coursed through him. He was like a touch-deprived man finally getting all he wanted, and in a way he had been deprived. Of a lot. Now he had given in to something he had feared, had tried to shy away from, and it had proven to be the most wondrous experience.
Tony made an embarrassing little sound of need.
Steve smiled at him as they separated, strong fingers playing through Tony’s wind-tousled hair.
“I’m in the mood for cotton candy,” he whispered, voice full of laughter. “How about you?”
Tony burst out laughing, shaking his head. And they called him erratic!
*
Steve ate a ton of sugary sweet stuff and Tony indulged in coffee-flavored ice cream. They had fantastic hot dogs and cheese-smothered fries. Steve showed off at shooting gallery and Tony dragged him into a cabinet of curiosities show that was as bad as he had suspected it would be. They ended up on the giant Ferris wheel as darkness fell. The wheel had lit up and was sparkling in bright colors.
Steve looked like a little boy. He was clearly happy.
It made Tony happy in turn.
Finishing off his second hot dog, he wiped his hands on a napkin. The wind was blowing through his hair, bringing with it the smell of the ocean. Children laughed, playing chase, others were begging their parents to buy them more sweets or to go on one last ride, see one last show, have one last trip around the fair.
Tony wrapped his jacket a little more tightly around him as a gust of rather cold air blew past and he snuggled a little closer to Steve, who didn’t seem fazed by the dropping temperatures. A large hand slipped under the leather jacket, stroking over his back.
“Cold?”
Yes. No. Not really. He wanted to stay here, but part of him also wanted to go into a bar, order something alcoholic and warm himself up.
“Are you impervious to cold?” Tony asked instead of answering.
“No, but it’s not yet that cold.” Steve looked suddenly mischievous. “Must be your lack of body fat.”
Tony growled. “I didn’t hear you complain last night.”
“I’m not complaining. Just stating a fact.”
The hand stayed, a source of heat and a strange kind of reassurance. Tony huffed slightly, but he didn’t move away from Steve either.
They stayed a little longer, but when the rain started, even Steve wasn’t eager to drag out their day off. They hurried back to the subway station and crammed into the train with other Island tourists. Tony had to chuckle as he saw his wet, wind-torn self reflected in the windows.
He hoped there had been no reporters anywhere and if Peter had tailed them, he’d do unspeakable things to the younger man’s precious camera and computer.
A cab got them to the mansion from the nearest subway station. It was by now pouring down and neither man stayed dry.
As the door closed behind them, Steve pulled Tony into a kiss, wet lips against wet lips, both dripping in the hallway. Tony laughed breathlessly.
“Had fun?” Steve teased, carding his fingers through the wet hair.
“Actually… yeah.”
The blond looked pleased as punch and Tony kissed him again, just because his expression was so inviting.
“And look, Mom, no Extremis.”
“Keep it off a little longer,” Steve rumbled.
“Oh? Why?”
“You’ll find out.”
*
That night he watched the other man sleep, studying the perfect features in the perfect face, the perfect body.
Tony didn’t dare touch Steve, though he was so tempted. He didn’t want to wake him. He didn’t want to look like a sap, staring at Steve, wondering how this could have happened. This wasn’t a dream; it couldn’t be. It had be real.
Steve wanted him. Steve loved him. He had said so, shocking Tony. He loved the blond for sure. He knew it. This was more than just a brief indulgence. He had had enough ‘relationships’ or partners to see and feel the difference.
And today had been… special. Nothing grand. Nothing fancy. Just them, having fun, eating hot dogs, enjoying each other’s company and the simplicity of life. At least for one day.
Tony smiled and he knew it was a really sappy smile at that.
He was lucky.
Really lucky.
And maybe, just maybe, this would really work.
fin... have a ficlet in the works, maybe even two. Those two are so addictive!
Iron Man (movie)
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13 (bordering on mild, mild R)
PAIRING: Steve/Tony, obviously :)
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money
Author’s Voice of Warning (aka Author’s Note):
English is not my first language; it’s German. This is the best I can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are...
FEEDBACK: Loved
“So… is this a date?”
Steve trailed a finger over the edge of the fiberglass case of the arc reactor, then onto warm, human skin. He was still shocked and amazed at what Tony had gone through, what he had survived. The Extremis had left him with the reactor and no one knew why. Maybe the nanotubes had found it was a necessary part of Tony, maybe there had been a glitch in the programming, maybe it was some other reason. It was there, smoothly inserted into the flesh and bone of the chest. There were no more edges, it no longer looked like a foreign object shoved into Tony’s body. It was molded to the curve of his chest. It gave off no heat, just the cool, beautiful light. The reactor powered the suit and it had kept the shrapnel from Stark’s heart. The shrapnel was gone, the reactor remained, and it still powered the armor.
Tony placed a hand over Steve’s questing fingers. His eyes reflected the inner turmoil, the muted fear, the disgust, the longing – and his doubt. The man projected such self-assurance, such aloofness, such arrogance, but Steve had found someone else underneath. Someone who was ashamed of his one remaining scar, who compared himself to the other Avengers and found himself lacking, and who saw his contribution to the team as minor.
Steve leaned over and kissed him, leaving his hand on the device. Tony wrapped one arm around Rogers’ waist, the other carded into the short hair on the back of his head. His mouth opened, welcoming Steve’s kiss.
They had retreated into the living room. The TV was running, but Steve had stopped paying attention a long time ago. Pizza, half eaten and still in the carton, littered the table. Next to it were bottles of beer and soda.
Tony’s shirt was unbuttoned, hanging loosely on his slender frame. Steve had lost his t-shirt a while back, too. He liked touching Tony. He liked exploring the sinewy frame. There were no scars of any kind, thanks to Extremis. Nothing blemished the lightly tanned skin.
Steve plundered Tony’s mouth again, pushing him back into the couch. The other man let him, making soft little sounds that only encouraged Steve more. He wouldn’t let anything take this away from him. Anything at all.
“So… is this a date?” Tony asked when they parted, eyes full of mischief.
Steve loved that expression. It was so different from the mask he wore as Tony Stark, CEO and billionaire industrialist. It was the private man, someone who sometimes came out and wanted to play. It wasn’t the person who was Iron Man. It also wasn’t the Tony Stark who had the money and supplied the gear for the Avengers. It was a different person Steve had caught only once or twice.
Right now Tony wore no masks at all. He was just himself. Not vulnerable, but more open.
“If it is, we’re already making out,” Steve replied, trailing questing fingers over the curve of Tony’s ribs.
“Hm, what would your mother say?”
“She’d warn me of guys like you.”
“Thought as much.”
“But I like guys like you.”
Tony grinned. “Good for me then, hm?”
Steve nuzzled his neck. “Very good.”
Tony made a noise between a sigh and a groan as Steve found a sweet spot, and he squirmed as the blond used his considerable skill to torment him with it. He didn’t just give in, though. He ran his hand over the perfectly sculpted body, across warm, tanned skin, down the back and to the hips, until he reached the firm behind. He pulled Steve closer and Rogers gasped a little at the contact.
Grabbing Tony’s hands he pushed them against the couch. The other man grinned up at him, eyes alight, face flushed. It was a good look on him, a very good look, and Steve planned to put it there more often.
“Bedroom?” Tony offered.
Steve laughed softly. “You assume much for a first date.”
“I think we’ve been dating for a whole lot longer,” was the quiet, more serious reply.
Steve blinked, then nodded slowly. Yes, they had. All those nights spent together, talking, getting to know the other. Even each battle fought side-by-side.
“And seriously, I haven’t gotten any in a long time,” Tony went on conversationally, one hand playfully caressing Steve’s side. “My hand was my consolation prize for too long. Which I hope doesn’t send you running off screaming.”
Steve gazed at the arc reactor again, fingers brushing over the casing. “No running,” he said softly. “No screaming. I think you’re perfect as you are.”
Tony blushed. He really blushed. Steve was fascinated.
“I’m far from it,” Stark finally replied, refusing to meet his eyes.
“You are. For me you are.”
“Steve, listen…”
“No, you listen. I want you as you are. I didn’t fall for someone else, Tony. I fell for you.”
“You… fell for me?”
Steve smiled. “Haven’t figured that one out yet? And here I thought you were so brilliant. Yes, Tony Stark, I fell for you. You think I’d be here if I hadn’t?”
Tony didn’t answer and Steve suppressed a sigh. He leaned forward and kissed the other man, coaxing the lips to open and their tongues to meet.
“I’m not so cheap, Tony,” he whispered when they parted, lips against lips. “I want this. With you. Very much.”
There was such hope in Tony’s eyes, such need, it almost took his breath away. He was probably the first person aside from Rhodey, Pepper and maybe a doctor to see the arc reactor. Stark hadn’t had a woman’s – or man’s – touch for a long time because of the device. But to Steve he was perfect. He wanted him just the way he was – and had been. Tony could be an arrogant, ruthless bastard, but it wasn’t him. He was more. He didn’t show it in public, but Tony was warm and gentle and loving and caring.
Tony buried his face against Steve’s neck, warm breath ghosting over the blond’s skin. He nibbled at the crease of skin and kissed him.
“Thank you. Now… how about we do something about my long dry-spell…. And yours?”
The mischief was back, as was the light in the dark eyes.
Steve chuckled, only too happy to comply.
* * *
Steve woke throughout the dawn hours. It was still dark outside, but the first signs of imminent sunrise could already be seen. His bladder had woken him and he found himself drawn between ignoring it as long as he could and going right away. He felt warm, comfortable, next to the man with whom he had shared more than just body heat a few hours before. He pushed himself up and looked down at the dark head. In the twilight of the room, Tony's features appeared smooth and relaxed. He lay on his back, one arm flung out, the other on his stomach. Like Steve, he was naked underneath the covers.
Tony was such a contradiction. He was cold and hard, relentless and a total bastard when it came to business contracts or business partners. But he could charm them, too. He could wrap someone around his little finger, give the buyers a show they would never forget. He was flashy and superficial if he wanted to be.
He was Iron Man. Powerful and courageous. He was an Avenger and not just the provider of money, as he saw himself. He was a valued member of the team. They needed the genius and the technology and the sheer battering ram power the repulsors could have. Behind Iron Man, maybe even meshed into him, was the engineer, the genius, the wizard. Tony was such an incredible mind and it was dizzying and beautiful and awe-inspiring to watch him work. Steve had never talked to a man who had such vast engineering knowledge that spanned more than his own life time. You could probably wake him at night and he would be able to build a complete engine from scrap.
He had built the arc reactor from scrap, Steve reminded himself. That alone was… more than amazing. It was incredible.
Still Tony saw himself as lacking compared to the other Avengers. He had no mutant super powers, but neither had Steve. Steve was an icon; Tony was… respected but not really loved. He was accepted like one would accept a necessary evil. It was what he had told Steve. It was what he believed.
Steve had no idea how he could remedy this, how he could help Tony understand that the others wouldn’t leave him to fend for himself in any given situation. He was there for each and every one of them; they would be, too.
His bladder urged him to leave the warmth of the bed and he hurried back in record time, slipping in next to his lover. Steve’s body twinged and complained in very unfamiliar places. Tony hadn’t been his first male lover. People always thought him to be too innocent in some areas, but like Tony wore his cloak, so did Steve. The 1940s hadn’t been the Age of Innocence. He had experience. And their encounter had been breathtaking. Tony had been slow and gentle, careful and loving. He had also been starved of touch and affection and the simple pleasures of sex. Steve planned on fulfilling that need and give him that pleasure.
He slipped off into a light doze that was broken two hours later. Tony had left the bed and hadn’t returned. The spot at Steve’s side was cool to the touch. Rogers slipped out as well and took a shower, dressed, and went in search for the other man.
“Jarvis?” he asked quietly.
“Yes, Captain?”
He rolled his eyes. The AI could be as stubborn and sarcastic as his master.
“Where’s Tony?”
“In the kitchen.”
Not the workshop. Good. Steve padded through the humungous living room into the open kitchen. Tony was leaning against the ceiling-to-floor window, coffee mug in hand, gazing at the bright blue ocean.
“Hey,” Steve greeted him. “Good morning.”
Tony glanced over his shoulder, smiling. It was a relaxed smile that did a lot to ease Steve’s subconscious fear.
“Hey,” was the lazy reply. "How do you feel?"
"Sore." Steve smiled ruefully.
"It'll pass." There was a brief hesitation, then, "Regrets?"
He looked into the suddenly uncomfortable eyes. "No," Steve answered truthfully. "None."
And why would he have them? He was his own person, he was of age, had been of age for a while now, even before he had involuntarily been frozen, and could decide whom he slept with.
“Coffee?” Tony offered, sounding more relaxed than Steve had ever heard or seen him.
“You left some?” Rogers teased.
“I’ll even share.”
“How gracious.”
A lazy smirk. “That’s me.”
Steve poured himself a cup and joined his lover at the window. They didn’t talk, but it felt like a companionable silence. Tony’s glances had Steve smile and the other man smirked a little in return.
Finally Steve closed the distance and placed a soft kiss on Tony’s lips, feeling the scrape of the goatee. Tony’s response was just as gentle and he wrapped an arm around Steve’s waist, pulling him flush against him.
“Take a day off,” Steve suggested, voice low, lips at Tony’s ear.
“Hm?”
“You. Me. Nothing else. No Extremis.”
“I can’t…”
“You can.”
“Steve…”
“You can. One single day. The world won’t end and the company won’t crash.” He nibbled at one ear, feeling Tony shiver. “One day.”
“Okay,” was finally the answer.
Steve nuzzled one temple. “Extremis off.”
“Off,” Tony promised.
“Just you and me?”
“Yes.”
Steve sealed their lips together. He wanted to get to know this man again, as a different person, as someone who opened up to him, had opened up to him. As his lover and partner.
“So what’s the plan?” Tony asked, sounding flirtatious.
“Have you ever been to Coney Island?”
It got Steve a burst of laughter, almost breathless. “You want to go to an amusement park?”
“Yeah. You mind?”
“No! It’s just…” Tony grinned. “It’s you.”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “It is?”
“Hm, one hundred percent.”
Tony kissed him and Steve again discovered just how good the man was. Tony had a reputation. He lived up to it. Completely.
When they finally separated, Steve was leaning against the window, the panes cool against his back, and Tony was watching him with a hooded, very much pleased expression.
“You’re not getting out of that deal,” Steve grinned.
“Well, damn,” was the dry reply.
“You’ll enjoy yourself.”
Tony looked doubtful, but he followed Steve back to the bedroom. They showered – separately, since anything else would have led to more sex – Tony had more coffee, and then they were off. By subway. Steve insisted.
*
Tony did enjoy himself. Dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, running shoes, and a leather jacket – all so expensive, you could clothe a family for a year with the money, Steve suspected -- he blended in. The baseball cap helped. Steve stood out, no matter what he wore. He was just… big and handsome and Captain America, with or without a uniform. People looked at him. Tony grinned as he watched Steve blush as a pair of teenagers flirted with him, as a woman tried to invite him on a date, or when an older lady told him he reminded her of her husband, god bless him, when he had been younger. For some reason he wasn’t jealous.
Steve finally pushed away from the latest admirer, a bubbly blonde who might have fit Tony’s prey scheme a long time ago, and walked back to Stark.
“Told you,” Tony said softly as they headed toward the beach, eyes glinting. “Everybody loves you.”
Steve looked at him long and hard, looking for something. Tony just smiled.
“I don’t want everybody,” Steve finally said, voice serious.
Tony felt himself shiver a little at the intensity. He didn’t look at the blond next to him, kept his eyes on the Atlantic. There weren’t too many people here this time of the year. Tourist season was over for summer and soon there would only be the old ladies in their fur jackets, feeding the sea gulls and talking Russian. They had their stretch of beach all to themselves.
“Tony?”
The voice was soft but still laced with a command. He had to look.
“I love you.”
Tony knew he was staring. He had hoped to settle for ‘I like you’ and time together, but this was too much in such a short time. His brain was still short-circuiting over the fact that Captain America was bi. Now Steve loved him?
“Steve…”
“Don’t try to tell me I don’t,” Rogers went on, voice firm now. “I do.”
“Okay,” was all he managed.
“It’s not impossible to love you, Tony,” Steve added.
Was he reading minds now, too?!
“And I’ll prove it to you.”
Tony drew a steadying breath. Things were really cascading now. A strong, warm hand on his thigh had him meet the intense blue eyes again. Steve leaned over and brushed their lips together. His hand drew calming caresses along the butter-soft fabric of the washed-out jeans. Tony shivered, trying to stop that electric feeling that coursed through him. He was like a touch-deprived man finally getting all he wanted, and in a way he had been deprived. Of a lot. Now he had given in to something he had feared, had tried to shy away from, and it had proven to be the most wondrous experience.
Tony made an embarrassing little sound of need.
Steve smiled at him as they separated, strong fingers playing through Tony’s wind-tousled hair.
“I’m in the mood for cotton candy,” he whispered, voice full of laughter. “How about you?”
Tony burst out laughing, shaking his head. And they called him erratic!
*
Steve ate a ton of sugary sweet stuff and Tony indulged in coffee-flavored ice cream. They had fantastic hot dogs and cheese-smothered fries. Steve showed off at shooting gallery and Tony dragged him into a cabinet of curiosities show that was as bad as he had suspected it would be. They ended up on the giant Ferris wheel as darkness fell. The wheel had lit up and was sparkling in bright colors.
Steve looked like a little boy. He was clearly happy.
It made Tony happy in turn.
Finishing off his second hot dog, he wiped his hands on a napkin. The wind was blowing through his hair, bringing with it the smell of the ocean. Children laughed, playing chase, others were begging their parents to buy them more sweets or to go on one last ride, see one last show, have one last trip around the fair.
Tony wrapped his jacket a little more tightly around him as a gust of rather cold air blew past and he snuggled a little closer to Steve, who didn’t seem fazed by the dropping temperatures. A large hand slipped under the leather jacket, stroking over his back.
“Cold?”
Yes. No. Not really. He wanted to stay here, but part of him also wanted to go into a bar, order something alcoholic and warm himself up.
“Are you impervious to cold?” Tony asked instead of answering.
“No, but it’s not yet that cold.” Steve looked suddenly mischievous. “Must be your lack of body fat.”
Tony growled. “I didn’t hear you complain last night.”
“I’m not complaining. Just stating a fact.”
The hand stayed, a source of heat and a strange kind of reassurance. Tony huffed slightly, but he didn’t move away from Steve either.
They stayed a little longer, but when the rain started, even Steve wasn’t eager to drag out their day off. They hurried back to the subway station and crammed into the train with other Island tourists. Tony had to chuckle as he saw his wet, wind-torn self reflected in the windows.
He hoped there had been no reporters anywhere and if Peter had tailed them, he’d do unspeakable things to the younger man’s precious camera and computer.
A cab got them to the mansion from the nearest subway station. It was by now pouring down and neither man stayed dry.
As the door closed behind them, Steve pulled Tony into a kiss, wet lips against wet lips, both dripping in the hallway. Tony laughed breathlessly.
“Had fun?” Steve teased, carding his fingers through the wet hair.
“Actually… yeah.”
The blond looked pleased as punch and Tony kissed him again, just because his expression was so inviting.
“And look, Mom, no Extremis.”
“Keep it off a little longer,” Steve rumbled.
“Oh? Why?”
“You’ll find out.”
*
That night he watched the other man sleep, studying the perfect features in the perfect face, the perfect body.
Tony didn’t dare touch Steve, though he was so tempted. He didn’t want to wake him. He didn’t want to look like a sap, staring at Steve, wondering how this could have happened. This wasn’t a dream; it couldn’t be. It had be real.
Steve wanted him. Steve loved him. He had said so, shocking Tony. He loved the blond for sure. He knew it. This was more than just a brief indulgence. He had had enough ‘relationships’ or partners to see and feel the difference.
And today had been… special. Nothing grand. Nothing fancy. Just them, having fun, eating hot dogs, enjoying each other’s company and the simplicity of life. At least for one day.
Tony smiled and he knew it was a really sappy smile at that.
He was lucky.
Really lucky.
And maybe, just maybe, this would really work.
fin... have a ficlet in the works, maybe even two. Those two are so addictive!
no subject
Great story, thanks.
One little thing, in the US, we call it cotton candy, not candy floss.
no subject
:)
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
I love the date, it was really ..steve-like.
And the ferris-wheel...I know why it´s my favorite part of a fair^^
no subject
I love how this chapter starts. It feels very warm and relaxed and natural. *wallows in the feeling*
“If it is, we’re already making out,” Steve replied, trailing questing fingers over the curve of Tony’s ribs.
“Hm, what would your mother say?”
“She’d warn me of guys like you.”
“Thought as much.”
“But I like guys like you.”
I was grinning like an idiot by this point. :-D Steve can't resist the "bad boy". *giggles* Good thing for him the bad boy is a romantic marshmallow in secret!
He had also been starved of touch and affection and the simple pleasures of sex. Steve planned on fulfilling that need and give him that pleasure.
Maybe it shouldn't be easy to imagine Tony as starved for affection, given his reputation as a womanizer and his easy charm and flirtatiousness. But it really, really is. Maybe because it's so easy to see the difference between play or pretense and genuine emotion, especially for Tony, who's on the inside of the experience.
“Coffee?” Tony offered, sounding more relaxed than Steve had ever heard or seen him.
“You left some?” Rogers teased.
“I’ll even share.”
*grins* I can't think of a more definitely sign of true love from Tony.
And they go to Coney Island! So cute. And yes, very Steve. *g*
Perfect ending. Nothing too flashy or dramatic, just the two of them building a foundation for their relationship. *happy sigh*
Thanks so much for sharing this!
no subject
no subject
This was wonderful; I loved the whole series. Can't wait to see more from you~ :D
no subject
no subject
I love how you write Steve in future movie-verse...yes, this is what I want in future movie-verse! :D
So lovely!
no subject
There was such hope in Tony’s eyes, such need, it almost took his breath away
I really like this detail -- Tony's got such a playboy reputation and does so much sleeping around at other points in canon that people tend to forget that in early Iron Man canon (and movie-canon, presumably), the breastplate/arc reactor forces him to be pretty much celibate.