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cap_ironman2011-01-02 11:41 am
cap_ironman_fe) wrote in cap_ironman2011-01-02 11:41 am
Entry tags:
Happy Holidays, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
anya_urameshi, part one!
Title: Things that will not happen to Steve and Tony in the Movies
Author:dollam
Summary:Steve wakes up slowly while living with Tony. Before the Avengers. Bits by bits.
Universe:Movie-verse
Rating: PG13 for cussing.
Word Count: 10K
Warnings:memes. just memes. incoherence. Stuck out seams.
Prompt: Tony introduces Steve to the internet (and other modern day things) and is amused over his reaction. Also, Steve does not like cellphones.
A/N: It was suppose to be fic with lots of moments. Considered turning into one long fic but that would have been futile. Then I got compromised. There is a bonus piece attached.
Happy Holiday Anya!
Part One Part Two
1.
Steve opens his eyes. Fury is there.
"How are you?"
Steve nods. He feels drowsy.
"Cap, listen. The War is over. Do you comprehend?" Fury asks again. It's his second question. Steve feels already exhausted.
"Good. We thawed you out of the ice. Remember being frozen?"
Steve actually doesn't. He remembers freezing to death. Or nigh-death, as it appears.
Steve nodded.
"Good. To make you out alive, and just in case you did not comprehend, the kids are keeping you in low statics. Just think of it as making it out of the ice slowly, you get it?"
Steve nods. This time no question is followed and he is allowed to go back to deep slumber.
2.
Tony hates when Fury invades his house. He hates it even more when he dumps his lackies in his balcony. This one, unlike Coulson, was full of muscle.
Tony so hates this one, he follows Fury in vain hopes of getting rid of the brute, or at least to get Coulson back. Apparentyl he is not available.
"Listen Stark, you can do this right?" Just feed him nicely and make sure he does not sleep on the hard floor with a brick mattress. You hear me. If you can make him answer emails and upload files I will give you a gold star on your homework. Off you go."
Fury slapped on his back - it hurt! - and went off.
Tony halted him before he went off further. "Hey, wait a minute."
Fury gave him an eye of approval. Shit. This was madness. He got out of weapons provision and got into this in return. "Who the hell is that hulk?" Tony pointed backwards over his shoulder.
Fury now gave him a disapproving look. "What? Your captain of Shield Football Team? Is that who he is? Does he know how to talk? I would appreciate if you deign to tell me something about him, sir."
"Oh yeah, that." Fury leaned into his ear and whispered.
3.
"That's Captain America."
4.
Tony's pupils blows.
"You try to get off the chart, I told him that's a Nazi spy in your disguise. And if you don't return him in full body condition, the US Army is going to take your company, your insurance, your armors and your accounts. And your social security number."
Tony knows before he turns to see, that he is a snob. It's essential in the billionaire business. Judging and thinking people in according tropes and appearance.
"I told him and now I repeat to you. He has what you need. You have what you need. Off you go." Fury disappears.
Tony knows he is a total snob when he turns and see a most glorious human with the most sensitive eyes and sad expressions that irks Tony Stark to bombard him with everything he could provide.
Fortunately, he hasn't said anything to this man yet. Christ, how could he have been so wrong? Must have been the abstinence.
The pretty blonde is still depressed over something.
Is he depressed over him? Quick, now is that chance to make a good first impression. "Hey, Steve, is that it?"
Oops, less casual, more friendly than intended. Tony could not help it. This man was his imaginary friend, his hero. He was the whole reason he got into the glorious military business. He wanted to glorify Captain America's legacy.
He had forgotten that. But he can fix that, cause he is here, in his house, on his stairs. Bullshit, bullshit.
The tired expression wrinkles at its name. Captain America, just like Tony remembers from the black and white motion pictures, forces a grin. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh My Lord.
Tony quickly seats next to him on his humble stairs. "Tony Stark."
Stark has no idea his is the first name Steve hears in this strange new world. "Steve Rogers." Steve opened his hand.
Tony is positive Steve does not know what ET is. He will show him later. Someday, Tony is going to upload his brain into a computer and loop this memory forever.
Tony shakes hands with Captain America.
5.
Excusing himself, Tony checked his Facebook account. Huh. Not Single Enough. Time to go sweetheart. Yeah, I will miss you too.
Single. Now that is a proper status.
His phone beeps, and there is a message from Pepper, 'finally decided to contribute some image for your company?'
Pepper is surprised Tony instantly calls directly from her message.
"Pepper?"
"Go on." She is ready to type.
"I'm gonna date Captain America. Scratch that. I'm gonna marry him. Does the State of California approve of same-sex marriage?"
"Not since the number 8 act." Pepper replies without thinking much. She will think later. "You didn't vote."
"Push for a new vote and buy every goddamn anti votes out there with free Stark-Phone and hard Stark cash. Pepper, I'm going to marry him."
"Are you drunk?"
"His name is Steve Rogers. Pepper, Captain America is Steve Rogers. I'm gonna marry him."
Tony rattled off words Pepper generally associated with fangirls, not nerdy kids. She pressed a button to call Agent Coulson on her other phone.
"Excuse me," she starts, but Coulson cuts in with an oddly excited voice. "He is real."
Pepper is not assured. "Whom are you speaking of?" She asked instead.
"Captain America."
"What is he doing in Stark Mansion?" She could not help her sharp frightened tone. "I thought he was dead. Is he a new one?" Had the government, or General Fury, revived the title so they could manipulate the Stark's name bearer?
"The same old one. Long story like Ironman. Director Fury of Shield decided he is most appropriate to gaurd Mr. Stark before he officially joins the team. This is top secret, Miss Potts. Captain America is going to join the same team with Ironman, so our director decided it is best this way."
A million questions crosses Pepper's mind. "You know Tony, Mr. Coulson. You think he is really alright to be around Captain America? What I want to know is, are you going to sue Stark Industry if he suffers bad influence under Mr. Stark? I just want to make sure Stark Industry did not request Captain America." She is surfing the list of lawyers. Can Stark Industry survive sabotaging Captain America? The man is the very one of the only two persons in history to have six stars on their rank.
There is a short bark of laugh. "Trust me. Captain America needs Mr. Stark right now. He needs lots of update."
"That suspiciously makes sense." Pepper lets the stream of questions cover her mind.
6.
"So this is the telephone." Steve asks, carefully craddling the device in his hands. The phone is so small it looks lost in his hands. Captain America is holding as if it would slip between his fingers.
He is sitting on the stair that lands on Tony's lab. And Tony would be damned if the floor color reflecting off Steve does not complement him. The waterfall by the stairway filtered the light nicely and gave his hero a mystic hollow on his countenance.
Steve is not looking at him, turning the cell phone in his hands. He is probably wondering what @ stands for. Or www for that matter. Tony's heart is going to burst if it were not replaced by the fact that he was going to teach Captain America all these things.
"Everybody has a phone." Steve let go. "Everybody has a non wired phone."
Steve did not have a phone when he was young. No. He never had a phone before he joined the army. His mother used to borrow the phone down the hall, from Mrs. Lenny. Steve still remembered her voice when he called and she said before lending the receiver to his mother, 'glad you managed to be alive.'
"There are computers provided in public service."
"You won't need them." Tony assured him.
"Where are the picture phones?" Steve asks suddenly.
"Videophones." Tony corrected. "They are not practical."
Steve poked at the spot on top of the monitor. "You said these are for instant conversation. Are you telling me there are no videophones, just computers with cameras? AT&T were gearing them towards wide release." Back then. It should be done, recycled and dead now.
Tony shrugged. "Too real. Why send the whole ugly truth while you can just send your voice?"
Was Stark serious? Stark straightly went into demonstration as he kept his suspicion. "Here, Cap."
"Please call me Steve."
Tony turned to Cap to see if he was serious. "Steve. This is the screen."
Steve frowned at his reflexion. It was like a mirror. Only he couldn't quite look at himself.
"The screen is not the camera."
"You can not make eye-contact." Steve understood. Steve frowned as Stark - Tony made it so that he perfectly made eye contact with Steve, unlike well, Steve.
It seemed vital to look at the camera to look attentive.
Stark in the monitor waved at him. The smile was just on this side of off, which was not off when Steve looked up at Tony. Was this a computerized thing?
Uncomfortable Steve turned back to the monitor. This time, the camera.
"There you go." Tony made a pleased hum. He was not Captain America for nothing. Time to show him some videos.
Steve saw Tony wielding the cursor to 'my videos.' Then he opened clicked on the icon filed 'heathens.'
"On most personal computers, this icon is going to be named 'ethernet,' 'safari,' or plain ol internet."
Steve listened carefully.
"This is where you type the address." Stark typed 'www.youtube.com' in the long rectangle that roofed the huge empty square that filled most of the screen. "My favorite site. Site is synomymous with page. Page. Homepage. Site. You can omit the www dot in front."
A lot of picture with another address rectangle in the upfront appeared. Most pictures had words tributed under them.
Tony showed Steve a picture of one of those interviews where the video juxtaposed a show host and his reporter. Turning back to his early points. "This is it. This reporter standing in the rain can not see the host. The host here, when talking, is not looking at the camera. It's tolerable on television, but on phone, would you really want to talk to someone who is not making eye-contact?"
"Yes."
Stark was incredulous, then ...smug? "Believe me, Steve. I envy you. And you will not recognize yourself in a week." Suddenly humming happily, Stark exited the room.
Steve blinked. Was Stark just dancing on his feet?
Stark was half-way through the descriptions of the videos when Stark threw him a device. Tony whistled when Steve caught it without turning his back. "It's a cell phone. Your cell phone." It was even more slick and thinner than the one Steve was holding before. "You mean the phone which can also track people with satellites?" Steve had measured that much besides the variations of communicative function. Was he trying to bug him? Stark said everybody carried it around everywhere, every time.
Steve was not going to carry around a device that made him trackable. From Stark's explanation, it seemed that people just liked to 'check' on each other with it. No patience.
Steve jumped when the thing vibrated. Was it also a -
"Press the green button."
Steve did as told. After distinguishing a green tint from the phone.
"Hello Steve." Tony grinned at Steve. He was the first man ever to call Captain America with his cellphone! That was an reach achieved by no one. Of course, holding off any button long directly connected to Tony's phone or Ironman.
The thing was also blocked from the rest of the world, currently. Especially Shield. Only the numbers that Steve registered would be received.
That was better, Tony aggressively assumed. That way Cap won't get any spams or unwelcome calls.
"Mr. Stark?"
"Why don't you quit that and start calling me Tony? This is not the eighties, Steve."
"Tony?" Steve pressed down his voice. This was probably not radio. Tony kept his volumes low so there was no need for Steve to do so. Steve's enhanced hearing picked up his voice coming off across the room, almost at the same time he said it.
This is just a telephone with radio. Steve told himself. Something tugged at Steve's stomach.
Humanity had overcame distance. Was the distance between time so much further?
Was there truly no time machine? Fury said no. He will ask Tony later. He seemed so ....glad Steve was here. Which was weird. Maybe he did not have any friends except Colonel Rhodey and his employees. Maybe Tony Stark employed everyone whom he liked into his company. Steve wondered if he could get a job at there, should the need arise. If Steve hadn't been so culture blinded, he would have thought Tony was making moves at him.
"You are upset." Tony observed.
"It's just..." Steve let his words wander aimlessly. Maybe this was when modern people let their hands wander. Steve did not do that. "I see why there is no videophones." He adopted instead.
Stark made a hesitating, faint smile. "Only desperate lovers think enough to risk the eye contact."
His voice was marked with longing so Steve assumed he was talking about someone. "Any sour dame?"
Tony barked a laugh.
7.
"Captain America was not meant to be a man out of time!" Steve caught his voice.
Eventually, Tony Stark told him time travel was not favorable. Due to logic of time. Steve was outrageous. "Logic of time?" Stark has got an invisible man behind the walls of the house. AND in the computers of the entire United States. What really sounds logical is that there must be one or two crazed scientists out there who have time machine.
Tony tells him he is in the most technologically advanced facility in the world. Steve thinks it's unfair he saw the end result of the possibility of this strange new world.
8.
Tony Stark spends a lot of time in his lab. Steve does not walk on that ground. He does not enter the facility. He is perched on the stair, afraid to land on ground. "You have cars in your office." Steve can't help but noting every time.
It annoys Tony, cause Captain America is more impressed by cars, not the Ironmen contained in the backyard.
"I am Tony Stark. Nothing less impressive is ever allowed." Tony says.
Steve shifted on his seat, which is the stair, not quite touching the floors. Tony wishes he had closed the door behind him.
9.
"So, do you think it was worth it?" Tony asked. Rogers gingerly touched the ground with his barefoot. They are 30 percent wood, 27 percent plastic. 16 percent styrofoam, and other ingredients to make them feel and look natural, even under barefoot.
"What?"
"Saving America. The obvious part I left out in a rare effort to not antagonize you. DYING, while saving it. Was it worth it?" Mind, if it were Tony, he would have created enough angsts to roll on for the rest of his second life.
He really wants to know. Tony Stark is the most corrupted yet focused essence of American Dream. He is an engineer. He built Ironman and pilots himself. He is an alcoholic. He said fuck you to a senator and managed to have a national badge pricked on his breast pocket. He went to bed with god knows how much persons, most of them seeing him as nothing but a fun parade.
"Yeah." Steve reaches up to thread his blonde. The light shot off from the various monitors and applications create subtle porn out of the sight.
"Is that it? Yeah?"
Steve looked at Tony a bit sadly. He can not understand where Stark is leading him to. He does not understand what this means to the billionaire. He would have said he was just fulfilling his duty, except Stark would take it the wrong way.
Steve is suppose to answer all these things, and they exhaust Steve because they do seem ridiculously important to Tony Stark. Mind, if he had not saw Stark working his sweat off in his lab he would have continued to think him as a spoiled billionaire boy.
He pushed down the ache he felt. "If I had not, then you would have not made all these amazing applications." Steve is glad Fury was around. He had been gathering plenty informations through that youtube and internet, between gobbling down what Fury fed him.
He is glad the military did not take away Ironman.
Tony is impressed enough Captain America used the word 'application.' He taught Captain America shiny new words! "You are learning."
Apparently, his hero approves him. Suddenly everything seems hopeful.
10.
"I could have had the option of working in the factories." Steve started to open a bit up. Shorter than Tony had expected. "But I didn't." Steve sounds shaeful. "I thought I was not worthy of them." Steve sneers. "Thought I was more worthless than the soldiers out there risking their lives."
"What you found out it was the exact opposite?"
"You don't live or die because of your worth. You never know what you are worthy of. I saw men die, Tony. Some were just there to be the shield of Captain America. To buy time so I can arrive there."
"It wasn't your fault."
"You don't live or die because of you are worthy or not." Steve repeated, looking pass Tony into sometime else. "I learned that. You have to be humble, and respectful. Honor the death. Make their lives worthy."
"I know." Tony has never told it to anyone. Not even Pepper. No one knows of Yin-sen. Steve lifted his eyebrow.
"A man sacrificed himself to buy Ironman some time." Suddenly Tony desperately wishes for a BurgerKing cheeseburger.
Steve made a crooked smile. "I thought that was you, Mr. Stark. You gave up your heart."
"You are confusing the cause and actions. There was a man." Tony produces to tell everything.
"You are an idiot." Steve said. "And foolish. If I were a commander, you are out of my team."
Actually, I am going to be on your team. Or so Fury told me. Apparently he was satisfied with the homework Tony presented - email, file upload, word processor, and web surfing, all on his cell phone! - and said he could be a member, instead of an advisor.
Tony just smiled along. Fury had not told Steve Rogers yet. He couldn't wait.
11.
"So, this is the future." Steve said awkwardly after managing to multitask. Popcorns in the micro oven. Jarvis screening datas for him. Talking with Tony. Texting Fury.
"Yup. And I am the king of Future America."
Steve chuckled, half amused and embarrassed. "I heard they still can't afford jet packs."
12.
"Are you sure about this?" Steve is dubious. Tony once carried Pepper in this suit, that was all. But he is going to hell if Stark Industry suffered that comment.
"Come on, STeve." Tony taunted. The name rolled off his tongue. Good thing he abandoned that robotic voice for this channeled real voice.
The roof top offers a nice view of ocean, so Tony had changed his mind to his parking lot. He could totally show off how skillful he is against curves.
Too bed Steve is still kind of a in a shell shock. He did seem so impressed when Tony put on his suit. But it was alright. "Had you read Peter Pan?" When was Barrie born?
"You can fly." Steve says. He is still dubious. Tony stomps on the ground, and Steve has seen nothing like this. A far futuristic version of the Tinman. Steve is not sure if Stark is doing this for joke or not. The metallic thud rigging off the ground does nothing to assure him. Maybe he could. Helicopter was still in test field when he last checked. Vertical flight was not possible. Fury assured him helicopters were put in use during the next and then the next war. And the Shield Helicarier was impressive.
But those were military. Was Tony Stark rich enough to afford personal jet packs? Or has Steve slept that long?
Tony wants to impress Steve. He waits patiently until Steve calms down, gingerly putting an arm around his suit. Good thing it is metal, or Steve will hear the blood pumping in Tony's arm.
"Ready?" Maybe that robotic voice is an option. Tony sounds breathless to himself.
"Ye-" Steve's voice is left behind. Instinctively, he held on tighter to Stark's metal suit. There is a rush of air and a curved tunnel incoming, then-
"You can fly!" Steve shouts as they roam above California. "God Tony, you can fly!" Steve barked a laugh.
Tony is going to loop this audio record in his mp3. His name sounds so good coming out of Steve's mouth like that. Cleaner and prouder, no where near how his father or the press will ever treat him.
Tony grins inside the helmet. "Told you." The angle is perfect. If he could turn the face plate upward now, he will have Steve's cheek against his.
"Take us to New York City." There is that commanding quality in Steve's voice, the one he heard so much in those black and white videos. Tony felt heat.
Steve was surprised at his own voice. "Sorry for that. Uh, Tony, can you take us to New York City?"
"Fury is going to kill me." Tony grins.
"I am sure he won't mind. Please, Tony."
Steve is right. The hell with the US Flight laws. "Sure you can hang on?"
"Oh come on." Steve grinned and adjusted his arm around Tony's neck. "I used to hang onto missiles."
Tony huffed. "I beat missiles."
Steve saw the footage, so he knows. "Show me!" Steve laughed.
"I have tank missiles attached into my arm plates." Tony couldn't help.
"Liar!" Steve laughed again. Something swirls in Tony's stomach. It's a feeling he gets when he wants a drink, except he is not thirsty now.
He knocks Steve's lungs out again by accelerating the flight, and the gut twisting need abates.
13.
He had forgotten it. Tony meant to show Captain America where he created the new element. Tony Stark Heart Element, cut to TSHE for future scientists. Tony really forgot about it.
Tony is rattling off how good he was, how excited he was, until Steve quietly interrupts him; "what is this doing here?"
Tony turns around, and crap but his pupil blows, cause Captain America is shooting a moody glare at him with his SHIELD, his pieced out shield in his hand.
Steve loosens the fist. He had to - "what is my shield doing here?"
'Stark has something you need.'
Was this what Fury meant? Why does this scientist guy have his - his split Shield? Steve closed his eyes. He thinks he is going to have a heart attack if he don't strangle someone now.
His heart is steady, despite everything.
Steve felt immense tiredness flush over him, followed by heat of anger. Why does this man, this scientist - has he disassembled it, his shield? Disgust swells up in him. Steve instinctively holds up the shield, straps it to his arm, and glares at the man in front of him. Tony waved his hand in hapless Reed Richards fashion. Tony could have been more stupid than Reed.
"Crap, Cap," Captain America and his Shield. Tony had both of them in his basement, yet never thought of putting them together.
Too bad there is no camera in this room.
"What have you done to my shield?" Steve roars in a hoarse voice.
He thinks Tony had immobilized his shield. Tony calms himself down with force.
"You look so gorgeous can I take a picture of you? No, I mean, I did not cut off your shield like a birthday cake. Cap, you can't seriously believe I did that!"
"Then who the hell did it?" Someone has to be responsible for this. Steve needs someone to be responsible for this.
Your home is gone. It's the time. You are brought into sixty years into the future, blame the ice. But someone has to be responsible for at least this.
Steve is tired of waking up in the future.
He should have died in the ocean. To live - to see his friend, something he valued pieced away and used to balance pipes. To create some energy source to protect a billionaire from his own enemy.
What has happened to his mother? What did Fury hide from him? Did they all got pieced away, like his shield in his arm now, trying to protect him, trying to protect the country? Was it what happened to all he tried to give up himself for?
Steve calms down. Rapid logic jump like this indicates self-pity/ Steve is still surprised he is biting back tears.
He wanted to go home.
Once he realized that Steve felt the hormones and such started to steady, leaving Steve shaky but no less in control.
Fury should have put him into action immediately, Steve thought bitterly. They both knew how dangerous anyone can be, especially someone with a training. There was something about Vietnam War that brought that aspect of a soldier's life into light. Steve is sure both he and Fury would have got one, if they had a chance. Mission after mission was what kept them in control, because it was important that they remained in control.
Except Fury had grown with time, and Steve got stolen of his.
What was he doing here?
Steady hands on his shoulders grounded him. Steve Rogers found himself shaking violently, his shield pressed against a human body trying to reach him. Steve dropped the arm to his side.
"It's alright." The voice was steady, having a grounding effect for the first time. God, it also reminded Steve just how annoying Stark was. Steve snorted.
It's like every fanboy and fan girl's dream come true, Tony thought. Except that dream is vastly different from reality, and his heart breaks. His Hero. Captain America. Captain America has no idea what he gave. He must have been a shy young man, who was not Tony Stark when he stood in front of those cameras to immortalize tho photos. It's as if Steve has no ground to stand on his own.
Tony knows what that means. To return home and find something destroyed, stolen away. To keep fighting to have a ground to stand at your own house.
Tony felt a truly rare comradie feeling surging upon him. So, rare compassion seeped into his next words;
"Welcome back home."
Later Tony reflected the moment he put his hands on Steve Roger's shoulders, and knew the power to ground someone, to steady someone - was an addictive power.
You never get over addiction. You just move onto something else. Tony knew a lot about that. In order prevent deep addiction, relying on a single substance Tony went through lots of things. Women, projects, alcohols, and cars. And computers.
He was Tony Stark. He had many addiction and nothing was big enough to hold his entire capacity of addiction.
Tony looked at the mirror and grounded his hands on his reflexion in the mirror. It's awkward. It's fake. It was real when he put them on Roger's shoulders.
Tony bit his lips. He was half joking when he called Pepper, dazed with excitement.
He might need Steve Rogers, keep him. It scares shit off Tony because Tony Stark is a man of power, and man of power should not get desperate.
Tony is also aware that the satisfaction came from Cap believing his words. Which was remarkable. Nobody believed Tony Stark and he encouraged it. Maybe it was possible because Steve did not know him. Cap America will shoot him disapproving eyes just like -
Of course. If the man was best pal with Nick Fury, then who knows Tony might score a pass. Surely Tony was better than those wacky Nazis Steve faced before, right? Tony was pretty sure Stark Industry never used organic subjects on tests. Except himself. Well, Tony was alright, because he was dying, and who the hell is Cap is to talk when he gave himself up for a government funded military project? Christ, he should show him those H.A.M.M.E.R. Industry armor test videos where they broke person in half.
He had to get his hands on Cap again. It was a grim realization, but he could certainly live with itÉ as long as it was granted. Tony could see the virtual bar keeping its remains in red. He had to get his hands on Steve Rogers, preferably forever.
"I think I am in love." He tells the mirror. Tony Stark in the mirror is dead serious. "We should name this Steve Rogers Syndrome. Dying of heartbreak."
"They already have a flower named after that." The mirror Tony Stark retorted back.
14.
Jarvis was very cooperative, and Steve wondered if it was because he was an A.I., or because Tony told Jarvis to do so.
Since Tony gave all security clear to Steve(higher than Tony, on par with Pepper), Tony does not know Steve is collecting Tony's videos is Youtube. Without clothes.
Tony starts to calculate his hopes when Steve chides him about inappropriate attitudes towards a congressman and a general. That's only on the net.
He programed Jarvis, so Tony knows Jarvis would have said to whatever Steve remarked, 'at least it was refreshing to see Mr. Stark in a video with his clothes on.' And Steve never comments on the other videos.
Except perhaps Steve refuses to go to that one restaurant where Tony hadÉ.
15.
About time Fury decides they could announce the Avengers, Tony got ambushed with Armors.
Before, Tony flat out refused to move to New York, telling Fury he is not going there until Magneto is gone.
Steve understood this. Tony even asked for Thor's presence to give snow on California - for the homesick Captain America.
That doesn't mean somehow they are a team. Tony tries his best to keep Steve out of the armors.
"Steve, get out of here." Tony yelled in his helmet. He trusted Captain America and told him so. He did not trust Stark Industry and his creations. Justin Hammer sure had screw him up right before going to prison.
Fucking bastard emailed all of Tony's rivals the blueprint of War Machine. And Vanko's droids. Fucking asshole.
'You need him.' 'The team is going to have to wait before you two work out some issues.'
Then Fury hinted to Steve that maybe it was a good idea they formed the main Avengers in NYC, and a West Coast Avengers. fury must have known what was going to happen. Maybe that's why they are yet allowed to be the official Avengers yet. A month after Armor War(Shield name sense) commenced, the Avengers launched with Antman, the Wasp, and Thor as the core members. Shield was testing the team, so now they were temporarily recruiting all candidates to observe team dynamics.
The biggest reason was that Tony can not go to New York City while a horde of flying rockets launched missiles at him. The skyscraper free LA sky was better suited for what they were in.
Except Tony insisted it was not they, just him, Tony.
Who the hell paints your 21st century droid in green anyway? Tony crash landed in his front yard in Malibu. Two droids got out in the landing process. 'Noobs.'
The security system took care of three more.
That left more droids and a guy in a suit. Tony cursed at the late Vanko junior. Nobody was suppose to acquire the arc reactor, except Rhodey. He knew Rhodey would not lend that thing over. The bastard Vanko tried to kill him twice alive, and spread the arc reactor technology over from death.
Of course Tony's new element was superior. Designed by Howard Stark, made by Tony Stark. Except that superior technology was directly hit by a repulsor(Vanko you bastard!). Tony needed to rush to his lab.
"Welcome Mr. Stark."
"Stave off that impostr out in my yard!" Tony yelled, rushing into his lab.
"Engaging battle butler mode."
Right. The armor connected to the arc reactor was bent like aluminum. Tony forced the part open with his gauntlet, and took out the arc.
"Shitshitshit." He put in a new one, forcing it in between the crashed armor parts.
"The Ironman imposter green is heading to Stark Industries."
Tony flew out of his garage.
In forty seconds, Tony hit the green Ironman, or Iron Variable number thirty seven(tech thieves did not deserve any credit or code names) with his flight speed backing the punch.
Number thirty seven crashed out of the building, landing in the parking lots. It also break all the glasses it was forcefully exited out of. "I am so happy I have Shield coverage!" He yelled so Fury, in case he was watching, could hear. Tony had to work at home for the next week, but it was so insignificant a cost Tony thought he was getting out of this one almost free.
It was too late when the signals informed of number 38 and 39 behind. The double power of the repulser beam took Iron man down.
Tony cursed. Two new green impostors behind, and another flying back up from below. Too bad Tony was not allowed life insurance from anywhere. Shield said they could take care of any damages, but did not compensate for lives. The light of reactor still imprinted on his sight, Tony waited for the final blow.
"Holy shit, Cap." What was Captain doing here? "Crap, Cap. Get out of here." Was the communicator damaged? Tony had completely forgot about him during the fight. Steve must have been heading to the Stark Industries when the live news broke out Ironman was attacked, again. Tony had assumed Steve was still around the mansion.
Steve stood behind Tony. He had climbed all the damn stairs because Tony's office was located on top. There was one green ironman at right, where the glasses were all out, and two more at the left, where a single glass remained. The lone green Ironman was heavily damaged already, but not damaged enough.
'He doesn't even have his shield.' The miniature Christmas Panther had made it whole as a gift for Steve, but Shield took it and it never came back.
Tony threw his body between the incoming green, number thirty seven. The other two(thirty eight and thirty nine for you!) were coming in a bit slower, as if to measure Cap's move. Or shoot from far.
The world whirled as Tony prepared to block the punch. He wouldn't be able to block whatever the remaining two was planning to throw, but Tony did not have time to think about that.
Everything slowed down as the world spin. Tony landed on ground, face up, with a light thud. Above his head, the fist of the compromised green armor and Steve's connected. The numbers measured at the impact was impossible.
'Does no one have a decent training when they have super power?' Steve thought, weary at the unskilled move of both his enemy and his friend. The future did have plenty super powered individuals and mutants, and Steve recognized their abilities. But they all seemed to be not making the best of their ability, except for the X-men. Okay, Steve was impressed at their capability and teamwork.
Which Tony had not allowed until this moment.
Did no one appreciated proper training in this age?
Steve pulled the fist inwards towards himself. The green Ironman tripped over Tony, unable to control his action at such speed. Without much effort, Steve wielded thirty seven in a circle, just in time to block the repulser beams the two green Ironmen blasted.
Steve had seen what happened when two repulser beams locked. He saw the footage of the fight between Ironman, Whiplash, and War Machine. Steve leveled the metal trunk in his hand to catch the beams before they connected to each other, hitting each the chest and leg of the green Ironman in his hand.
Tony used both his palms to take down the two droids.
After the familiar crash of the iron suits hitting the floor, Tony turned to Captain.
"That's dangerous." Steve said.
Tony blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Do you have any other moves than throwing the repulser beam or throwing your body?" Steve said. "Colonel Rhodey might have less impressive weapons, but he moves more efficiently than you, Tony."
Tony wanted to throw himself out of the building. "Ironman does not require any trainings. Training is pointless when you have iron as your muscle and a brain that can control the movement of the armor as well as your body."
Steve brushed the dirt off his shoulders and gloves. The glove must be made out of adamantium strings or something, because they didn't break at the defiance of the iron fists.
"Fine. But if you think I am going to school again, think again. Besides, X-men's frequent enemy controls metal. And I am certainly not going to register as a Shield agent."
Steve helped Tony to his feet. "If you don't mind, I can teach you some moves."
Tony was glad the faceplate was still on. "What? You mean naked, hot, and sweaty work out sessions? Me and you?" He really should think about that computerized voice option. He is going to get training sessions with Captain America! Rhodey was going to be so jealous. And Happy. Tony gloated at the thought of it.
Steve smiled. Something was finally starting to move. He felt less out of place, less stuck.
Maybe he was finally getting out of that ice.
"You think you can manage something between your schedule?"
"Of course. I am a superhero. Training session is important." Tony had already cleared out his schedule and emailed them to Pepper just now.
'Good.' Was the response. Since Tony's activity as a not single enough male billionaire was cleared, he still had some time to squeeze in here and there.
Ironman put his arm around Steve and flew them back home.
Next
Author:
dollamSummary:Steve wakes up slowly while living with Tony. Before the Avengers. Bits by bits.
Universe:Movie-verse
Rating: PG13 for cussing.
Word Count: 10K
Warnings:memes. just memes. incoherence. Stuck out seams.
Prompt: Tony introduces Steve to the internet (and other modern day things) and is amused over his reaction. Also, Steve does not like cellphones.
A/N: It was suppose to be fic with lots of moments. Considered turning into one long fic but that would have been futile. Then I got compromised. There is a bonus piece attached.
Happy Holiday Anya!
Part One Part Two
1.
Steve opens his eyes. Fury is there.
"How are you?"
Steve nods. He feels drowsy.
"Cap, listen. The War is over. Do you comprehend?" Fury asks again. It's his second question. Steve feels already exhausted.
"Good. We thawed you out of the ice. Remember being frozen?"
Steve actually doesn't. He remembers freezing to death. Or nigh-death, as it appears.
Steve nodded.
"Good. To make you out alive, and just in case you did not comprehend, the kids are keeping you in low statics. Just think of it as making it out of the ice slowly, you get it?"
Steve nods. This time no question is followed and he is allowed to go back to deep slumber.
2.
Tony hates when Fury invades his house. He hates it even more when he dumps his lackies in his balcony. This one, unlike Coulson, was full of muscle.
Tony so hates this one, he follows Fury in vain hopes of getting rid of the brute, or at least to get Coulson back. Apparentyl he is not available.
"Listen Stark, you can do this right?" Just feed him nicely and make sure he does not sleep on the hard floor with a brick mattress. You hear me. If you can make him answer emails and upload files I will give you a gold star on your homework. Off you go."
Fury slapped on his back - it hurt! - and went off.
Tony halted him before he went off further. "Hey, wait a minute."
Fury gave him an eye of approval. Shit. This was madness. He got out of weapons provision and got into this in return. "Who the hell is that hulk?" Tony pointed backwards over his shoulder.
Fury now gave him a disapproving look. "What? Your captain of Shield Football Team? Is that who he is? Does he know how to talk? I would appreciate if you deign to tell me something about him, sir."
"Oh yeah, that." Fury leaned into his ear and whispered.
3.
"That's Captain America."
4.
Tony's pupils blows.
"You try to get off the chart, I told him that's a Nazi spy in your disguise. And if you don't return him in full body condition, the US Army is going to take your company, your insurance, your armors and your accounts. And your social security number."
Tony knows before he turns to see, that he is a snob. It's essential in the billionaire business. Judging and thinking people in according tropes and appearance.
"I told him and now I repeat to you. He has what you need. You have what you need. Off you go." Fury disappears.
Tony knows he is a total snob when he turns and see a most glorious human with the most sensitive eyes and sad expressions that irks Tony Stark to bombard him with everything he could provide.
Fortunately, he hasn't said anything to this man yet. Christ, how could he have been so wrong? Must have been the abstinence.
The pretty blonde is still depressed over something.
Is he depressed over him? Quick, now is that chance to make a good first impression. "Hey, Steve, is that it?"
Oops, less casual, more friendly than intended. Tony could not help it. This man was his imaginary friend, his hero. He was the whole reason he got into the glorious military business. He wanted to glorify Captain America's legacy.
He had forgotten that. But he can fix that, cause he is here, in his house, on his stairs. Bullshit, bullshit.
The tired expression wrinkles at its name. Captain America, just like Tony remembers from the black and white motion pictures, forces a grin. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh My Lord.
Tony quickly seats next to him on his humble stairs. "Tony Stark."
Stark has no idea his is the first name Steve hears in this strange new world. "Steve Rogers." Steve opened his hand.
Tony is positive Steve does not know what ET is. He will show him later. Someday, Tony is going to upload his brain into a computer and loop this memory forever.
Tony shakes hands with Captain America.
5.
Excusing himself, Tony checked his Facebook account. Huh. Not Single Enough. Time to go sweetheart. Yeah, I will miss you too.
Single. Now that is a proper status.
His phone beeps, and there is a message from Pepper, 'finally decided to contribute some image for your company?'
Pepper is surprised Tony instantly calls directly from her message.
"Pepper?"
"Go on." She is ready to type.
"I'm gonna date Captain America. Scratch that. I'm gonna marry him. Does the State of California approve of same-sex marriage?"
"Not since the number 8 act." Pepper replies without thinking much. She will think later. "You didn't vote."
"Push for a new vote and buy every goddamn anti votes out there with free Stark-Phone and hard Stark cash. Pepper, I'm going to marry him."
"Are you drunk?"
"His name is Steve Rogers. Pepper, Captain America is Steve Rogers. I'm gonna marry him."
Tony rattled off words Pepper generally associated with fangirls, not nerdy kids. She pressed a button to call Agent Coulson on her other phone.
"Excuse me," she starts, but Coulson cuts in with an oddly excited voice. "He is real."
Pepper is not assured. "Whom are you speaking of?" She asked instead.
"Captain America."
"What is he doing in Stark Mansion?" She could not help her sharp frightened tone. "I thought he was dead. Is he a new one?" Had the government, or General Fury, revived the title so they could manipulate the Stark's name bearer?
"The same old one. Long story like Ironman. Director Fury of Shield decided he is most appropriate to gaurd Mr. Stark before he officially joins the team. This is top secret, Miss Potts. Captain America is going to join the same team with Ironman, so our director decided it is best this way."
A million questions crosses Pepper's mind. "You know Tony, Mr. Coulson. You think he is really alright to be around Captain America? What I want to know is, are you going to sue Stark Industry if he suffers bad influence under Mr. Stark? I just want to make sure Stark Industry did not request Captain America." She is surfing the list of lawyers. Can Stark Industry survive sabotaging Captain America? The man is the very one of the only two persons in history to have six stars on their rank.
There is a short bark of laugh. "Trust me. Captain America needs Mr. Stark right now. He needs lots of update."
"That suspiciously makes sense." Pepper lets the stream of questions cover her mind.
6.
"So this is the telephone." Steve asks, carefully craddling the device in his hands. The phone is so small it looks lost in his hands. Captain America is holding as if it would slip between his fingers.
He is sitting on the stair that lands on Tony's lab. And Tony would be damned if the floor color reflecting off Steve does not complement him. The waterfall by the stairway filtered the light nicely and gave his hero a mystic hollow on his countenance.
Steve is not looking at him, turning the cell phone in his hands. He is probably wondering what @ stands for. Or www for that matter. Tony's heart is going to burst if it were not replaced by the fact that he was going to teach Captain America all these things.
"Everybody has a phone." Steve let go. "Everybody has a non wired phone."
Steve did not have a phone when he was young. No. He never had a phone before he joined the army. His mother used to borrow the phone down the hall, from Mrs. Lenny. Steve still remembered her voice when he called and she said before lending the receiver to his mother, 'glad you managed to be alive.'
"There are computers provided in public service."
"You won't need them." Tony assured him.
"Where are the picture phones?" Steve asks suddenly.
"Videophones." Tony corrected. "They are not practical."
Steve poked at the spot on top of the monitor. "You said these are for instant conversation. Are you telling me there are no videophones, just computers with cameras? AT&T were gearing them towards wide release." Back then. It should be done, recycled and dead now.
Tony shrugged. "Too real. Why send the whole ugly truth while you can just send your voice?"
Was Stark serious? Stark straightly went into demonstration as he kept his suspicion. "Here, Cap."
"Please call me Steve."
Tony turned to Cap to see if he was serious. "Steve. This is the screen."
Steve frowned at his reflexion. It was like a mirror. Only he couldn't quite look at himself.
"The screen is not the camera."
"You can not make eye-contact." Steve understood. Steve frowned as Stark - Tony made it so that he perfectly made eye contact with Steve, unlike well, Steve.
It seemed vital to look at the camera to look attentive.
Stark in the monitor waved at him. The smile was just on this side of off, which was not off when Steve looked up at Tony. Was this a computerized thing?
Uncomfortable Steve turned back to the monitor. This time, the camera.
"There you go." Tony made a pleased hum. He was not Captain America for nothing. Time to show him some videos.
Steve saw Tony wielding the cursor to 'my videos.' Then he opened clicked on the icon filed 'heathens.'
"On most personal computers, this icon is going to be named 'ethernet,' 'safari,' or plain ol internet."
Steve listened carefully.
"This is where you type the address." Stark typed 'www.youtube.com' in the long rectangle that roofed the huge empty square that filled most of the screen. "My favorite site. Site is synomymous with page. Page. Homepage. Site. You can omit the www dot in front."
A lot of picture with another address rectangle in the upfront appeared. Most pictures had words tributed under them.
Tony showed Steve a picture of one of those interviews where the video juxtaposed a show host and his reporter. Turning back to his early points. "This is it. This reporter standing in the rain can not see the host. The host here, when talking, is not looking at the camera. It's tolerable on television, but on phone, would you really want to talk to someone who is not making eye-contact?"
"Yes."
Stark was incredulous, then ...smug? "Believe me, Steve. I envy you. And you will not recognize yourself in a week." Suddenly humming happily, Stark exited the room.
Steve blinked. Was Stark just dancing on his feet?
Stark was half-way through the descriptions of the videos when Stark threw him a device. Tony whistled when Steve caught it without turning his back. "It's a cell phone. Your cell phone." It was even more slick and thinner than the one Steve was holding before. "You mean the phone which can also track people with satellites?" Steve had measured that much besides the variations of communicative function. Was he trying to bug him? Stark said everybody carried it around everywhere, every time.
Steve was not going to carry around a device that made him trackable. From Stark's explanation, it seemed that people just liked to 'check' on each other with it. No patience.
Steve jumped when the thing vibrated. Was it also a -
"Press the green button."
Steve did as told. After distinguishing a green tint from the phone.
"Hello Steve." Tony grinned at Steve. He was the first man ever to call Captain America with his cellphone! That was an reach achieved by no one. Of course, holding off any button long directly connected to Tony's phone or Ironman.
The thing was also blocked from the rest of the world, currently. Especially Shield. Only the numbers that Steve registered would be received.
That was better, Tony aggressively assumed. That way Cap won't get any spams or unwelcome calls.
"Mr. Stark?"
"Why don't you quit that and start calling me Tony? This is not the eighties, Steve."
"Tony?" Steve pressed down his voice. This was probably not radio. Tony kept his volumes low so there was no need for Steve to do so. Steve's enhanced hearing picked up his voice coming off across the room, almost at the same time he said it.
This is just a telephone with radio. Steve told himself. Something tugged at Steve's stomach.
Humanity had overcame distance. Was the distance between time so much further?
Was there truly no time machine? Fury said no. He will ask Tony later. He seemed so ....glad Steve was here. Which was weird. Maybe he did not have any friends except Colonel Rhodey and his employees. Maybe Tony Stark employed everyone whom he liked into his company. Steve wondered if he could get a job at there, should the need arise. If Steve hadn't been so culture blinded, he would have thought Tony was making moves at him.
"You are upset." Tony observed.
"It's just..." Steve let his words wander aimlessly. Maybe this was when modern people let their hands wander. Steve did not do that. "I see why there is no videophones." He adopted instead.
Stark made a hesitating, faint smile. "Only desperate lovers think enough to risk the eye contact."
His voice was marked with longing so Steve assumed he was talking about someone. "Any sour dame?"
Tony barked a laugh.
7.
"Captain America was not meant to be a man out of time!" Steve caught his voice.
Eventually, Tony Stark told him time travel was not favorable. Due to logic of time. Steve was outrageous. "Logic of time?" Stark has got an invisible man behind the walls of the house. AND in the computers of the entire United States. What really sounds logical is that there must be one or two crazed scientists out there who have time machine.
Tony tells him he is in the most technologically advanced facility in the world. Steve thinks it's unfair he saw the end result of the possibility of this strange new world.
8.
Tony Stark spends a lot of time in his lab. Steve does not walk on that ground. He does not enter the facility. He is perched on the stair, afraid to land on ground. "You have cars in your office." Steve can't help but noting every time.
It annoys Tony, cause Captain America is more impressed by cars, not the Ironmen contained in the backyard.
"I am Tony Stark. Nothing less impressive is ever allowed." Tony says.
Steve shifted on his seat, which is the stair, not quite touching the floors. Tony wishes he had closed the door behind him.
9.
"So, do you think it was worth it?" Tony asked. Rogers gingerly touched the ground with his barefoot. They are 30 percent wood, 27 percent plastic. 16 percent styrofoam, and other ingredients to make them feel and look natural, even under barefoot.
"What?"
"Saving America. The obvious part I left out in a rare effort to not antagonize you. DYING, while saving it. Was it worth it?" Mind, if it were Tony, he would have created enough angsts to roll on for the rest of his second life.
He really wants to know. Tony Stark is the most corrupted yet focused essence of American Dream. He is an engineer. He built Ironman and pilots himself. He is an alcoholic. He said fuck you to a senator and managed to have a national badge pricked on his breast pocket. He went to bed with god knows how much persons, most of them seeing him as nothing but a fun parade.
"Yeah." Steve reaches up to thread his blonde. The light shot off from the various monitors and applications create subtle porn out of the sight.
"Is that it? Yeah?"
Steve looked at Tony a bit sadly. He can not understand where Stark is leading him to. He does not understand what this means to the billionaire. He would have said he was just fulfilling his duty, except Stark would take it the wrong way.
Steve is suppose to answer all these things, and they exhaust Steve because they do seem ridiculously important to Tony Stark. Mind, if he had not saw Stark working his sweat off in his lab he would have continued to think him as a spoiled billionaire boy.
He pushed down the ache he felt. "If I had not, then you would have not made all these amazing applications." Steve is glad Fury was around. He had been gathering plenty informations through that youtube and internet, between gobbling down what Fury fed him.
He is glad the military did not take away Ironman.
Tony is impressed enough Captain America used the word 'application.' He taught Captain America shiny new words! "You are learning."
Apparently, his hero approves him. Suddenly everything seems hopeful.
10.
"I could have had the option of working in the factories." Steve started to open a bit up. Shorter than Tony had expected. "But I didn't." Steve sounds shaeful. "I thought I was not worthy of them." Steve sneers. "Thought I was more worthless than the soldiers out there risking their lives."
"What you found out it was the exact opposite?"
"You don't live or die because of your worth. You never know what you are worthy of. I saw men die, Tony. Some were just there to be the shield of Captain America. To buy time so I can arrive there."
"It wasn't your fault."
"You don't live or die because of you are worthy or not." Steve repeated, looking pass Tony into sometime else. "I learned that. You have to be humble, and respectful. Honor the death. Make their lives worthy."
"I know." Tony has never told it to anyone. Not even Pepper. No one knows of Yin-sen. Steve lifted his eyebrow.
"A man sacrificed himself to buy Ironman some time." Suddenly Tony desperately wishes for a BurgerKing cheeseburger.
Steve made a crooked smile. "I thought that was you, Mr. Stark. You gave up your heart."
"You are confusing the cause and actions. There was a man." Tony produces to tell everything.
"You are an idiot." Steve said. "And foolish. If I were a commander, you are out of my team."
Actually, I am going to be on your team. Or so Fury told me. Apparently he was satisfied with the homework Tony presented - email, file upload, word processor, and web surfing, all on his cell phone! - and said he could be a member, instead of an advisor.
Tony just smiled along. Fury had not told Steve Rogers yet. He couldn't wait.
11.
"So, this is the future." Steve said awkwardly after managing to multitask. Popcorns in the micro oven. Jarvis screening datas for him. Talking with Tony. Texting Fury.
"Yup. And I am the king of Future America."
Steve chuckled, half amused and embarrassed. "I heard they still can't afford jet packs."
12.
"Are you sure about this?" Steve is dubious. Tony once carried Pepper in this suit, that was all. But he is going to hell if Stark Industry suffered that comment.
"Come on, STeve." Tony taunted. The name rolled off his tongue. Good thing he abandoned that robotic voice for this channeled real voice.
The roof top offers a nice view of ocean, so Tony had changed his mind to his parking lot. He could totally show off how skillful he is against curves.
Too bed Steve is still kind of a in a shell shock. He did seem so impressed when Tony put on his suit. But it was alright. "Had you read Peter Pan?" When was Barrie born?
"You can fly." Steve says. He is still dubious. Tony stomps on the ground, and Steve has seen nothing like this. A far futuristic version of the Tinman. Steve is not sure if Stark is doing this for joke or not. The metallic thud rigging off the ground does nothing to assure him. Maybe he could. Helicopter was still in test field when he last checked. Vertical flight was not possible. Fury assured him helicopters were put in use during the next and then the next war. And the Shield Helicarier was impressive.
But those were military. Was Tony Stark rich enough to afford personal jet packs? Or has Steve slept that long?
Tony wants to impress Steve. He waits patiently until Steve calms down, gingerly putting an arm around his suit. Good thing it is metal, or Steve will hear the blood pumping in Tony's arm.
"Ready?" Maybe that robotic voice is an option. Tony sounds breathless to himself.
"Ye-" Steve's voice is left behind. Instinctively, he held on tighter to Stark's metal suit. There is a rush of air and a curved tunnel incoming, then-
"You can fly!" Steve shouts as they roam above California. "God Tony, you can fly!" Steve barked a laugh.
Tony is going to loop this audio record in his mp3. His name sounds so good coming out of Steve's mouth like that. Cleaner and prouder, no where near how his father or the press will ever treat him.
Tony grins inside the helmet. "Told you." The angle is perfect. If he could turn the face plate upward now, he will have Steve's cheek against his.
"Take us to New York City." There is that commanding quality in Steve's voice, the one he heard so much in those black and white videos. Tony felt heat.
Steve was surprised at his own voice. "Sorry for that. Uh, Tony, can you take us to New York City?"
"Fury is going to kill me." Tony grins.
"I am sure he won't mind. Please, Tony."
Steve is right. The hell with the US Flight laws. "Sure you can hang on?"
"Oh come on." Steve grinned and adjusted his arm around Tony's neck. "I used to hang onto missiles."
Tony huffed. "I beat missiles."
Steve saw the footage, so he knows. "Show me!" Steve laughed.
"I have tank missiles attached into my arm plates." Tony couldn't help.
"Liar!" Steve laughed again. Something swirls in Tony's stomach. It's a feeling he gets when he wants a drink, except he is not thirsty now.
He knocks Steve's lungs out again by accelerating the flight, and the gut twisting need abates.
13.
He had forgotten it. Tony meant to show Captain America where he created the new element. Tony Stark Heart Element, cut to TSHE for future scientists. Tony really forgot about it.
Tony is rattling off how good he was, how excited he was, until Steve quietly interrupts him; "what is this doing here?"
Tony turns around, and crap but his pupil blows, cause Captain America is shooting a moody glare at him with his SHIELD, his pieced out shield in his hand.
Steve loosens the fist. He had to - "what is my shield doing here?"
'Stark has something you need.'
Was this what Fury meant? Why does this scientist guy have his - his split Shield? Steve closed his eyes. He thinks he is going to have a heart attack if he don't strangle someone now.
His heart is steady, despite everything.
Steve felt immense tiredness flush over him, followed by heat of anger. Why does this man, this scientist - has he disassembled it, his shield? Disgust swells up in him. Steve instinctively holds up the shield, straps it to his arm, and glares at the man in front of him. Tony waved his hand in hapless Reed Richards fashion. Tony could have been more stupid than Reed.
"Crap, Cap," Captain America and his Shield. Tony had both of them in his basement, yet never thought of putting them together.
Too bad there is no camera in this room.
"What have you done to my shield?" Steve roars in a hoarse voice.
He thinks Tony had immobilized his shield. Tony calms himself down with force.
"You look so gorgeous can I take a picture of you? No, I mean, I did not cut off your shield like a birthday cake. Cap, you can't seriously believe I did that!"
"Then who the hell did it?" Someone has to be responsible for this. Steve needs someone to be responsible for this.
Your home is gone. It's the time. You are brought into sixty years into the future, blame the ice. But someone has to be responsible for at least this.
Steve is tired of waking up in the future.
He should have died in the ocean. To live - to see his friend, something he valued pieced away and used to balance pipes. To create some energy source to protect a billionaire from his own enemy.
What has happened to his mother? What did Fury hide from him? Did they all got pieced away, like his shield in his arm now, trying to protect him, trying to protect the country? Was it what happened to all he tried to give up himself for?
Steve calms down. Rapid logic jump like this indicates self-pity/ Steve is still surprised he is biting back tears.
He wanted to go home.
Once he realized that Steve felt the hormones and such started to steady, leaving Steve shaky but no less in control.
Fury should have put him into action immediately, Steve thought bitterly. They both knew how dangerous anyone can be, especially someone with a training. There was something about Vietnam War that brought that aspect of a soldier's life into light. Steve is sure both he and Fury would have got one, if they had a chance. Mission after mission was what kept them in control, because it was important that they remained in control.
Except Fury had grown with time, and Steve got stolen of his.
What was he doing here?
Steady hands on his shoulders grounded him. Steve Rogers found himself shaking violently, his shield pressed against a human body trying to reach him. Steve dropped the arm to his side.
"It's alright." The voice was steady, having a grounding effect for the first time. God, it also reminded Steve just how annoying Stark was. Steve snorted.
It's like every fanboy and fan girl's dream come true, Tony thought. Except that dream is vastly different from reality, and his heart breaks. His Hero. Captain America. Captain America has no idea what he gave. He must have been a shy young man, who was not Tony Stark when he stood in front of those cameras to immortalize tho photos. It's as if Steve has no ground to stand on his own.
Tony knows what that means. To return home and find something destroyed, stolen away. To keep fighting to have a ground to stand at your own house.
Tony felt a truly rare comradie feeling surging upon him. So, rare compassion seeped into his next words;
"Welcome back home."
Later Tony reflected the moment he put his hands on Steve Roger's shoulders, and knew the power to ground someone, to steady someone - was an addictive power.
You never get over addiction. You just move onto something else. Tony knew a lot about that. In order prevent deep addiction, relying on a single substance Tony went through lots of things. Women, projects, alcohols, and cars. And computers.
He was Tony Stark. He had many addiction and nothing was big enough to hold his entire capacity of addiction.
Tony looked at the mirror and grounded his hands on his reflexion in the mirror. It's awkward. It's fake. It was real when he put them on Roger's shoulders.
Tony bit his lips. He was half joking when he called Pepper, dazed with excitement.
He might need Steve Rogers, keep him. It scares shit off Tony because Tony Stark is a man of power, and man of power should not get desperate.
Tony is also aware that the satisfaction came from Cap believing his words. Which was remarkable. Nobody believed Tony Stark and he encouraged it. Maybe it was possible because Steve did not know him. Cap America will shoot him disapproving eyes just like -
Of course. If the man was best pal with Nick Fury, then who knows Tony might score a pass. Surely Tony was better than those wacky Nazis Steve faced before, right? Tony was pretty sure Stark Industry never used organic subjects on tests. Except himself. Well, Tony was alright, because he was dying, and who the hell is Cap is to talk when he gave himself up for a government funded military project? Christ, he should show him those H.A.M.M.E.R. Industry armor test videos where they broke person in half.
He had to get his hands on Cap again. It was a grim realization, but he could certainly live with itÉ as long as it was granted. Tony could see the virtual bar keeping its remains in red. He had to get his hands on Steve Rogers, preferably forever.
"I think I am in love." He tells the mirror. Tony Stark in the mirror is dead serious. "We should name this Steve Rogers Syndrome. Dying of heartbreak."
"They already have a flower named after that." The mirror Tony Stark retorted back.
14.
Jarvis was very cooperative, and Steve wondered if it was because he was an A.I., or because Tony told Jarvis to do so.
Since Tony gave all security clear to Steve(higher than Tony, on par with Pepper), Tony does not know Steve is collecting Tony's videos is Youtube. Without clothes.
Tony starts to calculate his hopes when Steve chides him about inappropriate attitudes towards a congressman and a general. That's only on the net.
He programed Jarvis, so Tony knows Jarvis would have said to whatever Steve remarked, 'at least it was refreshing to see Mr. Stark in a video with his clothes on.' And Steve never comments on the other videos.
Except perhaps Steve refuses to go to that one restaurant where Tony hadÉ.
15.
About time Fury decides they could announce the Avengers, Tony got ambushed with Armors.
Before, Tony flat out refused to move to New York, telling Fury he is not going there until Magneto is gone.
Steve understood this. Tony even asked for Thor's presence to give snow on California - for the homesick Captain America.
That doesn't mean somehow they are a team. Tony tries his best to keep Steve out of the armors.
"Steve, get out of here." Tony yelled in his helmet. He trusted Captain America and told him so. He did not trust Stark Industry and his creations. Justin Hammer sure had screw him up right before going to prison.
Fucking bastard emailed all of Tony's rivals the blueprint of War Machine. And Vanko's droids. Fucking asshole.
'You need him.' 'The team is going to have to wait before you two work out some issues.'
Then Fury hinted to Steve that maybe it was a good idea they formed the main Avengers in NYC, and a West Coast Avengers. fury must have known what was going to happen. Maybe that's why they are yet allowed to be the official Avengers yet. A month after Armor War(Shield name sense) commenced, the Avengers launched with Antman, the Wasp, and Thor as the core members. Shield was testing the team, so now they were temporarily recruiting all candidates to observe team dynamics.
The biggest reason was that Tony can not go to New York City while a horde of flying rockets launched missiles at him. The skyscraper free LA sky was better suited for what they were in.
Except Tony insisted it was not they, just him, Tony.
Who the hell paints your 21st century droid in green anyway? Tony crash landed in his front yard in Malibu. Two droids got out in the landing process. 'Noobs.'
The security system took care of three more.
That left more droids and a guy in a suit. Tony cursed at the late Vanko junior. Nobody was suppose to acquire the arc reactor, except Rhodey. He knew Rhodey would not lend that thing over. The bastard Vanko tried to kill him twice alive, and spread the arc reactor technology over from death.
Of course Tony's new element was superior. Designed by Howard Stark, made by Tony Stark. Except that superior technology was directly hit by a repulsor(Vanko you bastard!). Tony needed to rush to his lab.
"Welcome Mr. Stark."
"Stave off that impostr out in my yard!" Tony yelled, rushing into his lab.
"Engaging battle butler mode."
Right. The armor connected to the arc reactor was bent like aluminum. Tony forced the part open with his gauntlet, and took out the arc.
"Shitshitshit." He put in a new one, forcing it in between the crashed armor parts.
"The Ironman imposter green is heading to Stark Industries."
Tony flew out of his garage.
In forty seconds, Tony hit the green Ironman, or Iron Variable number thirty seven(tech thieves did not deserve any credit or code names) with his flight speed backing the punch.
Number thirty seven crashed out of the building, landing in the parking lots. It also break all the glasses it was forcefully exited out of. "I am so happy I have Shield coverage!" He yelled so Fury, in case he was watching, could hear. Tony had to work at home for the next week, but it was so insignificant a cost Tony thought he was getting out of this one almost free.
It was too late when the signals informed of number 38 and 39 behind. The double power of the repulser beam took Iron man down.
Tony cursed. Two new green impostors behind, and another flying back up from below. Too bad Tony was not allowed life insurance from anywhere. Shield said they could take care of any damages, but did not compensate for lives. The light of reactor still imprinted on his sight, Tony waited for the final blow.
"Holy shit, Cap." What was Captain doing here? "Crap, Cap. Get out of here." Was the communicator damaged? Tony had completely forgot about him during the fight. Steve must have been heading to the Stark Industries when the live news broke out Ironman was attacked, again. Tony had assumed Steve was still around the mansion.
Steve stood behind Tony. He had climbed all the damn stairs because Tony's office was located on top. There was one green ironman at right, where the glasses were all out, and two more at the left, where a single glass remained. The lone green Ironman was heavily damaged already, but not damaged enough.
'He doesn't even have his shield.' The miniature Christmas Panther had made it whole as a gift for Steve, but Shield took it and it never came back.
Tony threw his body between the incoming green, number thirty seven. The other two(thirty eight and thirty nine for you!) were coming in a bit slower, as if to measure Cap's move. Or shoot from far.
The world whirled as Tony prepared to block the punch. He wouldn't be able to block whatever the remaining two was planning to throw, but Tony did not have time to think about that.
Everything slowed down as the world spin. Tony landed on ground, face up, with a light thud. Above his head, the fist of the compromised green armor and Steve's connected. The numbers measured at the impact was impossible.
'Does no one have a decent training when they have super power?' Steve thought, weary at the unskilled move of both his enemy and his friend. The future did have plenty super powered individuals and mutants, and Steve recognized their abilities. But they all seemed to be not making the best of their ability, except for the X-men. Okay, Steve was impressed at their capability and teamwork.
Which Tony had not allowed until this moment.
Did no one appreciated proper training in this age?
Steve pulled the fist inwards towards himself. The green Ironman tripped over Tony, unable to control his action at such speed. Without much effort, Steve wielded thirty seven in a circle, just in time to block the repulser beams the two green Ironmen blasted.
Steve had seen what happened when two repulser beams locked. He saw the footage of the fight between Ironman, Whiplash, and War Machine. Steve leveled the metal trunk in his hand to catch the beams before they connected to each other, hitting each the chest and leg of the green Ironman in his hand.
Tony used both his palms to take down the two droids.
After the familiar crash of the iron suits hitting the floor, Tony turned to Captain.
"That's dangerous." Steve said.
Tony blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Do you have any other moves than throwing the repulser beam or throwing your body?" Steve said. "Colonel Rhodey might have less impressive weapons, but he moves more efficiently than you, Tony."
Tony wanted to throw himself out of the building. "Ironman does not require any trainings. Training is pointless when you have iron as your muscle and a brain that can control the movement of the armor as well as your body."
Steve brushed the dirt off his shoulders and gloves. The glove must be made out of adamantium strings or something, because they didn't break at the defiance of the iron fists.
"Fine. But if you think I am going to school again, think again. Besides, X-men's frequent enemy controls metal. And I am certainly not going to register as a Shield agent."
Steve helped Tony to his feet. "If you don't mind, I can teach you some moves."
Tony was glad the faceplate was still on. "What? You mean naked, hot, and sweaty work out sessions? Me and you?" He really should think about that computerized voice option. He is going to get training sessions with Captain America! Rhodey was going to be so jealous. And Happy. Tony gloated at the thought of it.
Steve smiled. Something was finally starting to move. He felt less out of place, less stuck.
Maybe he was finally getting out of that ice.
"You think you can manage something between your schedule?"
"Of course. I am a superhero. Training session is important." Tony had already cleared out his schedule and emailed them to Pepper just now.
'Good.' Was the response. Since Tony's activity as a not single enough male billionaire was cleared, he still had some time to squeeze in here and there.
Ironman put his arm around Steve and flew them back home.
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