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It’s nothing. It’s just an off-the-cuff statement to rile him up somehow—or, or maybe rag him… Yeah, Natasha’s just teasing him because he’s too uptight, too severe and he hasn’t shown anyone a shred of romantic interest even when she was trying her damnedest to look for dates for him at SHIELD, so she’s just simply telling him to get a move on because he’s a hot-blooded, thirty-something guy in appearance although he’s, technically and literally, an old soul, and he really needs to get a damn life outside of Avenging.
She can’t really mean that about him and Tony… nah—no. Hell. To the. No…
“I thought you and Tony were still gazing into each other’s eyes.”
Does he do that though? Look at Tony that way… Does he do that often and obvious enough for Natasha to notice and think that he was, maybe, interested in Tony that way? She’s just being her usual extremely observant ninja-spy-assassin self. And a tease… She’s being a tease and of course Tony is so used to flirting that even Natasha is given the impression that the genius-billionaire is flirting with him somehow.
And he, Steve Rogers, is flirting back… Which he isn’t!
Sure, he and Tony sometimes have these loaded looks because—hey—they understand each other! They have the Howard Stark connection; and Tony takes no bullshit from him in the same way that he takes no bullshit from Tony. While Steve is the commander on the field, Tony is the benefactor off it, the one who’s generous and rich enough to provide them with a brand spankin’ new facility of their own, kick ass equipment and weapons and ‘top-of-the-line swag’ as the man himself likes to call it. They work well together in that respect because they complement each other.
But that hardly means that—yeah, no Natasha has to be just teasing him!
He should really go out more.
But that can wait because right now, there’s a new Avengers line-up that’s waiting to be whipped into shape. He’s gonna have to have a really long talk with Natasha after this, too—get a few things straight with her.
At the back of his mind, which Steve doesn’t want to pay any attention to, a small part of him wishes that Tony could’ve stayed to hear Natasha’s sarcastic quip. That Tony could’ve stayed for Steve to see how brilliantly the brunet would’ve smiled because of the joke. That Tony could’ve stayed and answered Natasha with an equally crude and crass joke.
That Tony could’ve stayed.
+++
“Taking a day off, Cap?” Sam Wilson asks, intruding into Steve’s musings about how he might possibly spend his rare one day off away from the Avengers compound.
Wanting to appear nonchalant about it instead of eager to get his day of lazing about started, Steve shrugs, makes a casual gesture and says, “yeah—haven’t taken a day since we all moved out here. Romanoff’s starting to get on my case about that. And I’m sure y’all are eager to get me out of your hair for a few hours, am I right?” Steve means the statement as a joke, but he acknowledges that he’s been pushing his new teammates to their limits, trying to mesh well together, on and off the field. Steve’s certain that Sam’s so excited to be rid of his bossy ass, the latter is probably three seconds away from manhandling him to his motorcycle and see the back of him.
Sam has the grace to look sheepish. “You could use a break to lighten up. Maybe check in on Stark while you’re in the city?”
Steve’s forehead furrows and his brows narrow, momentarily taken aback by Sam’s accuracy. He can’t remember mentioning to anyone how he has plans to pop in on the newly re-christened Stark Tower in Midtown to see if Tony might not be too busy to see him—and maybe get coffee, catch up. Steve’s been seeing some disturbing news lately about possible policy changes as a result of Ultron’s attack in Sokovia, and he just…wants to consult with Tony about it, see if there’s anything that the more powerful tech magnate can do to stay on top of things—
That’s it, really. Just a casual, part-business, part-friendly get-together with a former teammate over coffee… It’s not like he misses Tony or anything! The last thing Steve needs right now is to sound defensive in his own head.
Plus, he’s pretty sure Tony doesn’t miss any of them—well, except for Rhodey. Tony probably misses his best friend something fierce. But if the genius-billionaire does, he has a piss-poor way of showing it because swinging by every six weeks or so and staying for just a little over an hour to fix dodgy equipment is not gonna cut it if Steve were in Tony’s best friend’s place.
“I’m gonna miss him, though, and you’re gonna miss me. There’s gonna be a lot of manful tears.”
“I will miss you, Tony.”
OK, so maybe Steve does. Miss Tony. There’s supposed to be no shame in admitting that. “He hasn’t been by in a while for an equipment check and there’s something I need to discuss with him,” replies Steve, tangentially, dislodging any discomfort he’s suddenly feeling in his throat with a low cough.
“And here I thought you’re supposed to be taking a day off,” jokes Sam with a smirk. “You do know the concept of simply hanging with someone if you miss them, right?”
Steve opens and closes his mouth in preparation for whatever defense mechanism it is he’s already mastered, but there’s only silence. He wants to deny missing Tony, he really does. But he knows it’s going to sound empty and Sam is probably going to call bullshit before half the words make it out of Steve’s lips. He settles for an embarrassed cringe instead. “He’s probably too busy to hang out anyway so I might as well be armed with official Avengers business so I have an excuse to see him.”
God, he sounds so pathetic!
“You’re teammates, Cap, sure. But you’re also friends,” reminds Sam, insightfully. “I’m sure he will appreciate you popping in to see him. Besides, if the news is anywhere near the truth, he’d probably be glad to see you.”
That perks Steve interest right up. While he knows about the more political news that might be part of what’s keeping Tony busy lately, Sam’s tone seems to imply something more personal. “Why? What’s the news say about Tony?”
“He’ll probably be wanting to tell you the real deal himself,” says Sam with a gesture. “You better haul ass to the city and try to chill, Cap. And tell Tony he owes me an upgrade on the wings; I’m feeling some lag every time I try to bank to the left.”
+++
Tony would be lying through his damn teeth if he says that a part of him doesn’t regret tapping out of the Avengers. Because he does. Like, every other day or so. He always catches himself with the teensiest urge to give Cap a call and say that he’s changed his mind about retiring and that he could ship his things back to the compound the very next day. Tony is even prepared to negotiate making an appearance to mandatory team trainings and physical drills if it means he gets to be part of the Initiative again.
Though he always comes close to giving in—too close—he’s never completely buckled, and Steve has never called to ask him if he’s changed his mind yet about quitting. So his decision stands and he’s staying retired.
Doesn’t mean he has to like it, or that he’s not a bit put out that no one—not Cap, not Widow or even Rhodey—is trying to get him to change his mind. It’s petty—he’s being childish, Tony knows, but adulting and feelings have never been Tony Stark’s strong suits.
And on top of that, he and Pepper are in another one of their ‘off-again’ phases. Tony believes it might have something to do with his near-manic tendencies to keep thinking up upgrades to the team’s gear and equipment. So now, what Pepper does is to give him the cold shoulder, silent treatment which Tony doesn’t understand one fucking bit. Because—hello—hasn’t he already retired from the superhero business like she wanted in the first place, what more does she want from him?!
Just his fucking rotten luck that TMZ’s caught on to his steady relationship being on the rocks…
Factor in the fact that he misses Bruce and JARVIS, like, insanely, Tony is actually two all-nighters away from losing his shit; and to say that he needs a major distraction is a damn understatement.
“Captain Rogers is requesting permission to enter, Boss,” FRIDAY, his brand-spankin’ new but fast-learning user interface, intrudes into his frenzied musings.
“Capta—wait, Fry—you mean to say that he’s here? Cap’s here in the Tower?!” Tony asks, agitatedly raking a hand through his already-mussed head of brown-black hair. For a moment, Tony can’t understand the sudden need to collect himself—make himself presentable. It’s just Steve, right?
Shit—when’s the last time he took a shower?! Or brushed his teeth?!
“Yes, he’s right outside the workshop as we speak, requesting entrance,” FRIDAY answers, and Tony’s sure that she would’ve given a long-suffering sigh and a roll of her eyes had she had a corporeal body. “Should I tell him that you’re too busy to receive any visitors?”
“N—no, no, no!” Tony nearly shrieks in disagreement. “Send him in; I—uh—could use a break,” he tries to downplay his uncharacteristic keenness to see Steve by thinking at the back of his mind that he still would still react this way had it been Romanoff or Barton at his door. He tries to put a semblance of order to his tools on his work table by toying with them and, at the same time, to appear less manic by pushing his fidgeting hands into his jeans’ pockets. The effect is just making him seem more restless.
“Hey Tony,” Steve says by way of greeting, complete with a self-conscious smile. “I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time?”
“Checking up on me if my idle hands are driving me towards building another murder-bot?” Tony jokes with a lopsided grin but a welcoming pat to Steve’s shoulder once the latter is within reaching distance. Steve gives an unimpressed look and opens his mouth, presumably to protest Tony’s self-critical assessment, but the genius-billionaire beats him to the punch. “I’m just playing with you, Cap. Relax. So… if you’re not here to make sure I haven’t joined the dark side yet, what exactly can I do for you?”
Steve tilts his head to assess Tony, wets his lips and opens his mouth again as if he has a whole speech planned regarding the purpose of his visit, but curling his mouth in thought, decides to make a different call, blurting out, “d’you wanna hang out?”
Surprised, Tony opens and closes his mouth. Those are the last words he expects Steve Rogers—serious, tight-assed, ‘Language!’ Captain America—to say so he leans forward, eyes big as dinner plates and mouth open, hoping to catch if he’d just misheard Steve somehow.
Tony adamantly refuses to read anything into it even though he’s the runaway master at finding extra meaning in someone's words or actions that does not exist—and often wrongfully, if he’s being candid about it. So hell no, Tony absolutely refuses to put words that aren’t there in Steve Rogers’ mouth. Because the next thing he’d probably assume is that Steve was furiously flirting with him when he so casually dropped the ‘I got no plans tomorrow night’ line before they were to take on Ultron, and Tony does not want to go there.
“I—I…I just thought… I just—if you weren’t busy,” Steve stammers, looking redder and redder with each word out of his mouth. “That you—that we… could—“
“—ever tried that chicken wings-place right around the block?” Tony interrupts, striding towards the door already. “I think I’m craving some chicken and beer. Come on, Cap, let’s shoot the breeze.”
+++
“Jush so y’know, this is fuckin’ unfair, Rogersh,” says Tony, slurring his words and swaying on his jelly legs to bump into his companion-for-the-night’s annoyingly sturdy body that’s completely unaffected by the alcohol that they both ended up consuming. Because after Tony’s had his fill of chicken wings in every conceivable flavor fit for human consumption and beer, they decided to take the long route back to the Tower and ended up passing by a hole-in-the-wall pub that Steve seemed really keen to see the inside of, so Tony, though already a bit sloshed with beer, tugged Steve into the pub for a couple more drinks.
And before they knew it, the ‘couple more drinks’ had turned into an entire top-shelf bottle of prime whiskey over some serious tete-a-tete, political debates and philosophical conversation that stretched well into the night.
“You’re not drunk at all,” complains Tony, poking a finger at Steve’s expansively-muscled chest. “I thought we were gonna hang out, but you held out on me, Cap.”
“I matched you shot for shot, Tony,” Steve answers, slinging one of the genius-billionaire’s arms around his broad shoulders and cradling the slighter body of the more inebriated man against his with a steady arm around the waist. “It’s the Serum that’s the buzz-kill.”
Tony snorts at that and begins to more animatedly press his body against his teammate, all inhibitions bedamned. “Dint realize how much I needed that, though. A break. Been a while. I’ been thinkin’ of getting pissed by myself, but that just sounds sadder than my girlfriend giving me the silent treatment, so I didn’…”
Steve keeps silent, presumably unsure about how to respond to Tony’s miserable rant, which is probably a smart decision on his part because Tony sure as hell’s not gonna take Steve’s pity sitting down, inebriated or not. “So… spill Cap. What’s the real reason for you coming over and seeing me? Because it can’t be because you wanted to—what—hang out. I didn’t think that I curried much favor with Captain America after that whole…Ultron debacle.” Now that they’re having the more difficult conversation—one that they took pains to give as wide a berth as possible that day that Tony had them all settle in the new Avengers compound—it’s definitely taking the edge off Tony’s drunken state.
Steve scowls but chooses not to hang the streamers to Tony’s pity party by gracing the latter’s comment with a response. They round the corner on the way back to the Tower with Steve still supporting Tony to prop him upright and keeping them moving towards their destination.
“Oh I know about the repairs that the tech in the training room needs. I also know about Wilson’s problem with the Falcon wings and I am on it. So, if you’re here to casually remind me about my responsibilities as an Avengers consultant, trust me when I say that I am well aware of them. And if you’re worried that, without 24/7 supervision, I’d flip my lid and experiment with another Ultron, then don’t worry your pretty face over that because I do have enough brain power to grasp the concept of ‘learning a less—oof…‘”
Steve interrupts the hyper-verbal rant by pressing Tony’s back hard against the recessed wall of the secret side entrance to the Tower and cradling Tony’s face between his hands so that the genius-billionaire doesn’t have a choice but to meet Steve’s familiar and earnest blue-eyed gaze. “I’m here because I want to spend the day with a friend—with you. Why is it so hard for you to believe that I just want to hang out with you, Tony? I miss you…”
“You—you do?” Tony asks with a small, near-breathless voice and an incredulous expression.
“Yeah, I do,” Steve says with dead certainty, boring his bright blue eyes into Tony’s. “You kinda grew on me while we were raiding all those HYDRA bases, and I miss you picking on my old-man clothes. I miss your pop culture references. I miss your teasing, your weird sense of hum—“
“—yeah, no, compared to Romanoff, who would sooner kill you in your sleep than joke with you, my sense of humor is top-notch, baby,” Tony banters back with another one of his half-grins. “I missed you, too, Cap,” admits Tony, completely sober now. “And I’m completely sober now so, yeah, I actually mean that.”
They’re still looking into each other’s eyes, each not wanting to be the first to look away. Their bodies are still unusually pressed against each other, more than buddies should be comfortable with, but neither of them is making the smallest movement that might break the moment.
“Think you’d be up to keeping me company on my rare days off?” Steve fishes, his hand leaving a swathe of warmth against the crook where Tony’s neck meets his shoulder.
He’s not sure about anything at that moment but that he wants Steve to make a move on him. He doesn’t know where all this could be coming from when, in the first place, their relationship-slash-association during their raiding parties had never bordered on romantic before. But if Steve does kiss him right now, Tony is not going to shy away from it. But he also knows Steve is too much of a gentleman to go kissing guys in shadowy side entrances, even one as sexy and irresistible as Tony Stark.
Cocking his head, Tony looks at Steve like he would a deliciously complicated engineering project and grins devilishly. He doesn’t know what lines they’re in danger of crossing or where exactly it is they’re headed for, but Tony is very much willing to ride it out. Because he wants it; he wants to see where this takes them.
“We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's...that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?”
“Together.”
“We’ll lose.”
“Then we’ll do that together, too.”
Tony wants to know if the two of them together could be worth it.
“Well, say something,” urges Steve, pinching the side of Tony’s neck to intrude into his thoughts.
“I’ll take one for the team, I guess,” Tony groans as if it’ll be such a hardship to spend time with Steve whenever he takes time off from Avengers work. “It depends on the kind of company.”
Steve’s brows furrow in thoughtful amusement. “How about as friends?” To which, Tony curiously raises a perfectly arched eyebrow. “And then… we’ll see?”
The genius-billionaire playfully bites his lower lip with a mischievous glint in his brilliant brown eyes. “Weeeell, you sure have my attention, Captain Rogers,” he jokes, feeling the most natural smile he’s ever given these past couple of months blossoming on his face. “Wanna go up and watch a movie—maybe play a little footsie? I promise I won’t bite unless you ask me to,” invites Tony, growing bashful all of a sudden.
“I’d love to,” Steve accepts the invitation with an equally magnificent smile of his own.
=====FIN=====