imafuturist | Apartment Above Stark Industries, Sunday Evening

"Thanks," Steve said, curling up on the sofa with an Iron Man blanket. "Turns out that Hardison and I kind of stink at foraging."

Tony sighed, leaning over to kiss him on the temple as he used Extremis to order a ton of pizzas to feed one super soldier. "Yeah?"

"We kept getting distracted by the, um, nasty childhood memories," Steve muttered to the blanket.

At that Tony went still and tense for all of a breath before taking a seat next to him for another hug.

So, it had probably been for the best that Tony hadn't dashed off into the woods after him then.

Steve hugged him back. "I missed you, but I'm glad you weren't there."

"I am going to feed you and not let you go for about a day," Tony announced. "Is that acceptable?"

"That sounds swell," Steve said, tucking his head on Tony's shoulder and curling in like he was the little spoon.

Which made Tony shift in place to do his very best to accomplish it for him. "You scared me," he admitted after a moment.

Edited 2018-08-13 02:09 (UTC)

"I'm sorry," Steve murmured.

Tony held on a little tighter for a moment at that. "You leave me a note like that again and we're gonna have some problems," he said, trying for joking and only halfway getting there.

Steve definitely picked up on the tone, and in a desperate attempt not to deal with his issues, went for this one instead. "What should I have done instead?"

"I--" Damn it, Steve. He was onto you there. Don't think you could escape this conversation for too long. "Find me before you run off next time? Or--christ, that's controlling, isn't it?"

"That's why I left a note," Steve said in a small voice.

"I know, I know," Tony replied with a little sigh. "Me thing. You're not helpless. I know that."

He just knew that losing another Steve may very well be the death of him.

Steve reached out and twined his fingers through Tony's, squeezing reassuringly. "I'm here."

"You're here," Tony agreed quietly, holding on with a desperation that wasn't showing on his face or in his voice.

"Hey," Steve murmured, shifting from resting on Tony's shoulder to straddling his lap. He pressed his forehead against Tony's. "We're okay."

"Are you?" Tony asked, cupping Steve's neck and jaw in his hands.

"Getting there," Steve whispered.

"Getting there," Tony echoed, closing his eyes as he pressed in toward him. Funny enough, that was way more calming than claiming to be okay.

Steve let out a low sigh as the stress gradually unraveled from his shoulders. "I'm sorry," he murmured again.

"Wind's gonna blow, one of us is gonna run into a dangerous situation," Tony replied. "I really ought to ask Sue how she and Reed don't fight about that."

"But I hurt you," Steve insisted. "And I didn't mean to."

Tony kissed him gently, brushing his thumbs along Steve's cheeks. "It's okay."

"It's not," Steve said, kissing him back. "You're really freaked out."

Keeeeeep talking about Tony, yes.

Don't think this would fly for long, Steve. Don't you even.

"I," Tony began, taking a deep breath. "Was anxious about being unable to find you."

Which, translated out of Tony Stark-ese, was basically that one dog meme.

Steve nodded, earnest blue eyes locked onto Tony's face as he squeezed Tony's hands again. "So what did you do?" he asked softly.

"...took control of a few satellites to scour the island for you?" Which. Yeah. That was normal.

Steve kissed him again, lingering. "Sweetheart."

"I turned them back over." Eventually.

"I'm sure you did," Steve said, kissing him between the eyes. "Did they show you anything?"

Tony huffed out in annoyance, wrapping his arms around Steve's waist to keep him close. "Nothing that let me find you. When you needed me."

"You're going to let this eat at you, huh?" Steve whispered, staying just as close.

"As much as whatever happened in there is going to eat at you," Tony said, glancing up to meet his eyes.

Steve made a face. "Hate when you're right."

"I'm a genius, you know," Tony said, tapping his thumb against Steve's neck.

"I've heard that about you," Steve said.

"Sirs, your food delivery has arrived," JARVIS chimed in. You know, helpfully.

Tony glanced up at the ceiling at the interruption. Just as he was getting somewhere with Steve.

Steve crawled out of Tony's lap. "I'll get it."

And made a quick escape for the moment. Tactically sneaky bastard.

"You've got a soft spot for him, J," Tony muttered once Steve was gone. His response was a flood of spam email about PTSD treatments that weren't exactly a shock for anyone. "Yeah, yeah."

Steve returned--eventually--with a ridiculousl tall stack of pizzas, plates, and drinks.

"Enough for an army," he said.

"I doubled the usual order." That poor, poor pizza place.

"Do they have anything left for the kids at the dorm?" Steve asked.

"I'd hope they've learned how to keep up with demand by now," Tony replied, shifting over on the couch to give him a spot to sit.

Right next to Tony, but whatever.

Steve gave him a tiny smile--he knew what you were doing, Tony--and sat down next to him. "You're eating too, right? I know how you get when you're worried."

"I'm eating too," Tony said, rolling his eyes.

He ate a whole power bar on Saturday! That counted!

It so didn't.

"Thank you," Steve said, all honest sincerity, and handed him four slices of pizza.

You know, to get started.

Steve did his motherhenning in a food based way. Which Tony would grudgingly accept.

For now.

"If you think this'll put me in a food coma and let you escape talking, you're wrong."

"Can't talk, chewing," Steve said, shoving a half slice of pizza straight into his own mouth.

Tony was so into right now, Steve.

"You're just making me into the emotionally stable one in the relationship."

"That doesn't seem right," Steve agreed.

Tony nodded in total agreement, trying not to laugh. "Turning the world upside down, Rogers."

Steve added more food to his mouth like the class act he was. "Mffgle."

"Steve." If he choked on that food, it was his own fault.

Steve had the grace to look slightly abashed as he swallowed.

Tony sighed, rolling his eyes as he picked at the toppings on his pizza. "We don't have to talk about it if you're that insistent."

"It wasn't that bad, compared to the others," he said. "I don't have a ton of childhood baggage, really."

...ish.

"You grew up in the 30s." He was calling bullshit.

"So we were hungry," Steve said. "Everyone was. Everyone was cold, too, and sick."

Steve was from the stiff-upper lip school, obviously.

"Steve," Tony said, taking his hand. "You know I'd never judge you, right?"

"I know," Steve said. "I judge me. And so did all of the weird stuff from Ma's house as it followed me around the woods all weekend. The portrait of Jesus was especially mouthy."

"About what?" Please don't make him fight the angry Jesus painting, Steve.

Steve leaned in and kissed him before getting another slice of pizza. "Don't go and fight the imaginary portrait, sweetheart."

Tony huffed, shoving a slice into his own face. "You were a great kid. Whatever that portrait said was wrong."

"How do you know that I was a great kid?" Steve asked.

"I have met tiny you," Tony replied, giving him a quick, slightly garlic-tasting kiss.

Steve sighed, then nodded. "But I was sick so much of the time--sicker because I was stubborn about being sick, and I caused Ma all kinds of grief."

Thanks for bringing that part up, creepy St. Patrick statue.

"She loved you," Tony replied with conviction. Half because he couldn't imagine otherwise and half because it was easiest to believe nice things of others.

"I know she loved me," Steve said. "That doesn't stop the truth of me taking up far too much energy by getting sick every time the wind blew."

"You are worth it," Tony said, leaning to press his shoulder into Steve's.

Steve rested his head briefly against Tony's. "You, my love, are biased."

"Just a little," he admitted.

"I'll be fine," Steve said. "Just having little ugly...pieces of myself follow me around for a weekend was not great."

Tony reached up to pull Steve to face him for a gentle kiss. "Sounds like the island decided to make anxiety corporal, huh?"

"A bit like that," Steve said. "You would have hated it."

"I'd be curled up in a ball somewhere," Tony admitted. Which wasn't true. He'd just repress extra hard because those sorts of invasive thoughts weren't new.

"You're stronger than that," Steve murmured, absolutely sure of it.

Tony kissed him again, letting his hand on Steve's cheek linger. "And so are you."

"Not this weekend, I wasn't," Steve said.

"Made it through, didn't you?" Tony asked quietly. "That's strength."

"That was pure bull-headedness," Steve said, reaching for more pizza. "Couldn't let the damn statues know they were getting to me."

"That's just as good," Tony replied, going for a big of garlic knots. "Fake it til you make it."

Which might have been soom speaking from experience there.

"Oh, I was faking it for all I was worth," Steve admitted. "While back being small and wheezy."

"Pocket-sized," Tony replied, shooting him a fond look before offering one or five over to him.

Steve made a face. "Not great for running."

"You're not much for running away," Tony replied. Because he'd known Steve longer than five seconds.

"Once you start running, they never stop chasing you," Steve said.

"Yeah," Tony said, pulling on Steve's shirt so he could bump his forehead against Steve's.

"Learned that way early on," Steve said. "You too?"

Tony was silent at that, closing his eyes for a moment before kissing him again. "We are talking about you here. Don't think I don't know what you're doing."

Nice deflection, Tony!

"I'm also just interested," Steve said.

Tony pretended to be busy brushed pizza sauce off the corner of Steve's mouth as he hummed in response to that. "I'm not quite as brave as you, dearest."

"Of course you are," Steve said.

That was very sweet of him to say.

"Alright," he said with that one smile he got that never quite reached his eyes.

Steve kissed him between the eyes. "One of these days I'll get you to believe me," he said softly.

"Work in progress," Tony assured him, clutching at Steve's shirt. "Same with you."

"I love you," Steve said earnestly, meeting Tony's eyes.

"I love you too," he replied in the same way he might say the sky was blue. It was sort of becoming an immutable fact now. "And I want to make this better for you."

"I know you do," Steve murmured, resting his head on Tony's shoulder. "I'm just not great at talking about it."

This was, naturally, a huuuge surprise to Tony. Really.

"Talk about what you're comfortable with," Tony said, kissing his temple. "The lack of pizza maybe."

Steve glanced around, momentarily distracted by the amount of food he'd put away while not really thinking about it.

"My ma decorated with a lot of statues of the saints," Steve said. "Think she thought that they'd look over me more closely if they had a physical presence in the house. Catholic voodoo."

Tony wrinkled his nose at the thought of having religious symbols staring down at him, but hummed to encourage him to go on. If the humming wasn't enough, he was already threading his fingers through Steve's hair.

"They absolutely creeped me out as a kid," Steve said. "Especially the painting of Jesus with the crown of thorns. She used to tell me he was watching me when she went to work--I always took it as a threat, and I'm pretty sure she didn't mean for me to."

"That showed up out there?" Tony asked, gently rubbing along Steve's scalp to help him relax.

"Followed me around all weekend, for the most part," Steve said, "reminding me of every slice of bread I snatched without telling Ma."

A teasing comment about Catholic guilt was on the tip of Tony's tongue, but he held back. "Having met you as a child, I think you needed it."

"Ma needed some too," Steve said stubbornly.

"Parents are--" Well, he wasn't entirely equipped for normal advice on this, but he was gonna do his best. "If you were in her place, how would you have felt?"

"Hungry," Steve said.

"Maybe so, but you would want to provide what you were able for your kid," Tony replied seriously.

"Of course I would," Steve said without stopping to think about it. "...oh."

Tony hummed, tilting his head to rest on Steve's. "There you go."

"You're pretty smart," Steve said. "Anyone ever tell you that?"

"I've heard it once or twice," he replied.

Steve slipped his hand back into Tony's. "She worked so hard."

"She loved you," Tony said, giving Steve's hand a squeeze.

"Oh, I know," Steve said with a little smile.

"Doesn't get rid of the guilt, huh?"

GUILT WAS FOR LIFE.

"Not even a little," Steve said quietly. "Sometimes makes it worse, too."

"I'll be around to help remind you of the other part of it," he offered.

"Thank you," Steve said, kissing his cheek.

Tony smiled and closed his eyes to enjoy the kiss. "I'm sorry you had to go through it out there, though."

"Yeah, but I got to help some of the others, so I don't regret being there," Steve said.

"That's the Steve Rogers I know and love," Tony replied, closing his eyes and smiling as he rested his forehead against Steve's.

"But I'm so glad to be back home with you," Steve said, snuggling in close.

"Yeah?" Tony asked, smiling despite himself. Because he was a sap like that.

"Yeah," Steve murmured. "You make everything better."

He wasn't sure exactly when that had happened.

Tony resumed running his fingers through Steve's hair to keep relaxing him. "I do my best."

"It's just what I need," Steve murmured. "Ma would've loved you."

"I would have loved to meet her," he replied quietly.

"Wish I'd met your mom, too," Steve said. "She must've been one heck of a dame."

"Anyone who married Howard had to be," Tony said dryly.

"She helped make you," Steve said softly.

"Objectively I know she wasn't the most emotionally available mother." Rhodey's reaction to a lot of things sort of proved that. "But she was... she was the one who was there for me. And I loved her for it."

Steve squeezed Tony's hand again. "Of course you did. She was your mom."

"Parents, right?" Tony asked with a helpless little laugh.

Steve leaned in and kissed him. "Something like that."

It wasn't fair dragging Tony's issues into this discussion, Steve. Wasn't fair at all.

"What about your dad? I don't think you've ever mentioned him."

"He died in the war when I was a baby," Steve said. "I only know him as a picture on Ma's bureau."

"Sorry," Tony murmured, kissing him again and again, quick and light like he needed to make up for even bringing it up

"It's okay," Steve soothed. "Part of why I was so anxious to do my part, though."

"And the usual stubborn nature?" Tony asked as he was just forced to kiss him again. Just in case.

"Perhaps some of that, too," Steve said.

"Just some?" He brushed his fingers through Steve's hair, giving him a fond look.

Steve smiled back at him. "Sixty percent?"

"Seventy." Tony would know. He was a math nerd.

"Sixty five," Steve said, stubbornly.

"Sixty-nine." Tony, no.

"Sixty-six."

Steve.

"Sixty-eight."

They deserved each other.

"Sixty-six," Steve repeated, narrowing his eyes.

"Seventy-two."

Well now he was just being a brat. Which meant he thought things were back to normal.

"Twelve," Steve said, grinning.

"I'll show you twelve percent," Tony muttered, tugging him into a kiss.

Steve kissed him back with a bit more desperation than he was normally comfortable showing. He'd been more shaken up than he'd like to admit.

Which made Tony gentle it a little, not letting him go anywhere anytime soon. Because he--they both needed this.

Steve moved back into Tony's lap, straddling his legs, but just keeping the kissing going. He wanted the connection more than any kind of physical release.

Tony wrapped his arms around Steve's waist to hold onto him. "Got you," he murmured.

"So glad that you do," he whispered back.

"As long as you'll allow me," he promised, smiling fondly as he pushed ran his fingers through Steve's hair for no reason other than he could.

Steve closed his eyes, nuzzling into Tony's hand. "I don't allow anyone else."

"Saying I'm special, Rogers?" Tony said, corners of his mouth turning up in gentle teasing.

"Of course I am," Steve murmured.

The emotional honesty made Tony blush and glance away for a moment, smile still on his lips. "Good. You're special for me too."

Steve kissed his cheek again. "You make that very clear, sweetheart."

"You'd be the first person to say that," he joked. Because Tony Stark and emotional honesty didn't always go hand in hand.

"Maybe I'm just more fluent in Tony than you let a lot of people become," Steve replied.

"Dangerous thing, letting people in," Tony said. It applied to the both of them, really.

"The scariest," Steve agreed softly.

"I am very glad that you're brave," Tony said, reaching up to cup Steve's face in his hands for another soft kiss.

"You met me halfway, sweetheart," Steve murmured.

Tony smiled and rested his forehead against Steve's. "I'm probably not going to let you leave my sight for at least a day."

Just, you know, fair warning.

Steve kissed Tony quickly. "Kinda figured. I'll set up with a sketchbook in your lab," he offered, "but only if you aren't making some kind of tracking device for me."

"...a small one?" Look, he was trying his best here!

"Not even a small one," Steve said firmly.

"What if you get kidnapped?"

And Tony turned to villainous ways to rescue you!

"You'll find me," Steve said, rock-solid in his surety.

Which was like a punch to the gut of all the anxiety built up in Tony's brain.

"Yeah?"

Steve cradled Tony's face between his hands and looked him straight in his eyes. "Of course you would," he said. "You don't need to shoot a tracker in my ass for that."

"Didn't do that great of a job this time." Because Tony couldn't fight the capricious nature of the island.

"How about a compromise?" Steve replied. "You can put a tracker on my dog tags."

Probably next to the one from SHIELD. Cough.

Which Tony would fuck with just because he could. Amateurs. Hope whatever poor tech that survived HYDRA liked the nervous breakdown of Cap being in Guatemala out of nowhere.

"Deal."

Steve kissed him again. "I'm sorry I scared you."

"We'll scare each other a lot over the rest of things..."

Steve chuckled. "Yeah, I guess we will."

"Next time is your turn," he joked.

"Oh, I don't think we need to take turns about this," Steve said helpfully.

"Nope," Tony said with a laugh. "Your turn. J, jot that down for me."

"J, belay that," Steve said, grinning.

The silent judgement from above told them everything they needed to know about what JARVIS thought of them.

"Pulling rank, hmm?"

"I don't think I get to pull rank against you with JARVIS," Steve said.

"Damn right," Tony replied, hooking his arms around Steve's waist.

Steve chuckled and snuggled in again. "I know where I stand," he said. "Coffee, JARVIS, me."

"Only to prevent the grand robot uprising, dear," Tony said. He grinned wider as JARVIS chimed in with a dry, "Indeed, sir. Viva la revolucion."

"It's all fun and games until there's a giant 20 foot robot fish screaming Beastie Boy lyrics," Steve muttered.

"It's a joke," Tony promised. "J would never."

"Promise, JARVIS?" Steve asked.

"You have my word, Captain."

Ultron was really going to be A Thing.

Steve relaxed slightly next to Tony. "Thanks, JARVIS."

Such a thing.

Tony was just going to be sad on JARVIS' behalf that it was even in question for him.

He pulled Steve closer, running his fingers through Steve's hair.

Steve closed his eyes and let out a low sigh. "Feels good."

"I think you've earned a nap," Tony said. "Executive decision."

"Will you come with me?" Steve asked quietly.

"Of course," he replied, pressing a kiss to Steve's temple.

"See? I'm not that brave after all," he murmured.

"Or you just want to use me as a pillow," Tony replied, hugging him a little tighter.

"Why not both?" Steve said.

"I'm not as lovely a pillow as your chest," Tony drawled, hissing the top of his head.

"I can't sleep on my own chest," Steve said. "That would be weird."

"I'll make one of those body pillows based off it. Make a real killing in the fan market," he teased.

Steve snorted. "Please, please don't."

"The world should know what they're missing out on!" Tony replied, smothering laughter.

"They really, really shouldn't," Steve said.

"I'll keep it just for me then," Tony said, moving a hand between them to rest on Steve's chest.

Steve smiled and kissed Tony's neck in reply. "I'm absolutely fine with that."

"Can't really replace the real deal," Tony said with a happy sigh. "'specially on bad nights."

Which clearly neither if them ever had.

"Kind of betting that this will be a bad night," Steve murmured.

"I like to listen to your heartbeat on those nights," Tony said, trailing a hand down Steve's back. "Feel you breathing next to me."

Alive. Real. Safe. All those things.

Steve nodded. "I do the same thing."

"Good," Tony replied with a little laugh. "I sort of worried it was creepy."

"Then we're both creepy together and we just won't tell anyone else," Steve said, sitting up. "Okay. I'm going to take a very long shower and head to bed. Coming?"

"To shower or bed?" Tony asked, letting him go with a few lingering touches.

Steve chewed his lower lip. "Both?"

"Both it is," Tony said, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you," Steve said, sliding his hand into Tony's and pulling him gently towards the bathroom.

"I'll wash your hair for you how you like," he promised.

Steve made a low, pleased noise at that. "Really? That would be swell."

Yeah, 'swell' would always make Tony smile. "For you, dear? Always."

Steve kissed him. "Thank you."

"C'mon, you smell like forest," he teased, pulling away to start the shower at the boiling hot temperature that Steve preferred.

"Eww, outside," Steve said. "I'd rather smell like the subway."

Literally no one would rather smell like the subway, Steve.

"That'd take at least three showers before I'd let you get into bed with me," Tony warned him.

"And in those showers I'd be alone, right?" Steve said with a little smile, shucking off his shirt.

"Cold and lonely," Tony replied, hooking a finger in the waistband of Steve's pants to pull him into a kiss.

"Sounds terrible," Steve agreed.

"I'd warm you up after," he promised, unfastening Steve's pants now that he was close. You know. To help him out.

"That's extremely generous of you," Steve teased.

"I'm a giver." And, to illustrate that point, he pushed his hands down into the back of Steve's pants ostensibly to help him get out of them. But also to grope his ass. That too.

Steve chuckled. "I've noticed that about you."

"You deserve to be taken care of too," he said, leaning in just close enough for a kiss without going any further. That tease.

"I'm finally starting to believe that," Steve murmured.

Edited 2018-08-23 02:08 (UTC)

"Good," Tony whispered back, moving his hands up to cup the back of Steve's neck and head. "I'm wearing you down."

Steve kissed him again. "In a good way."

"Smoothing edges," he suggested between kisses as he herded Steve up against the sink.

Steve gratefully used the sink to hold him up as he kissed Tony back. It felt so good to be doing this--grounding him in the now instead of being sucked back into bad memories of the past.

Tony reached up to curl his fingers through Steve's hair to gently tug on. "I've got you, darling."

"And I'm so grateful for it," Steve said softly.

"Sap," he teased just as quietly, pressing into Steve with his whole body as a comforting presence rather than forceful pinning in place.

Steve hugged him tightly, breathing in the comforting presence. "I'm being an idiot."

"No you're not," Tony replied, trailing hands down Steve's neck and shoulders before going back up to run through his hair.

"Let's get in the shower," Steve mumbled.

Where he could pretend that clinging this hard was related to being squished under the spray.

"Alright." Tony kissed him one more time before pulling away to get his own clothing off.

Steve got into the shower and let out a long, low sigh of relief. "Oh, that feels good."

"Hot water," Tony said, slipping in behind him. "Your one weakness, Captain America."

The last part he said in the most cliche German accent he could manage.

"Don't let HYDRA know," he said. "They'll lure me into fake hotels with promises of unlimited hot water and it might work the first few times."

"I'll keep you safe," Tony promised, wrapping his arms around Steve's waist and holding him close.

Steve clung a little tightly. "My hero," he said, sounding only half as teasing as he meant it to come out.

Tony smiled at that, tilting his head up to kiss him again. "Got you."

Steve kissed him back. "Thank you."

"Then let me handle things for a little bit," Tony replied quietly, running his fingers through damp hair to get it off Steve's forehead.

Steve sighed softly. "That sounds like just the best thing," he murmured. "Let my brain turn off for a while--"

Tony gently kissed him quiet, scratching his nails over Steve's scalp. "Be so obedient and good for me, hmm."

Steve made a little noise low in his throat. "I can do that," he said, feeling his knees go a little wobbly.

"I know you can," Tony murmured, kissing his throat gently before scraping his teeth over the skin there. "You're alwaus so good for me when we do this. When you trust me to give you want you need."

Steve shivered and stepped even closer, plastering himself to Tony. "I trust you," he murmured.

"So beautiful," Tony murmured, trailing his hands down Steve's back. "So absolutely gorgeous like this."

Steve let him a little moan and kissed Tony's neck, much more into the praise than he wanted to admit.

Tony would politely let him know that it was just the right amount of being into it if he could. Because now he was getting into giving that praise. Just for how Steve reacted to it.

"Do you want me on my knees for you?" Tony asked, keeping his voice low and husky, barely audible over the sound of the shower. "...or do you want to be there for me, sweetheart?"

"Want to do that for you," Steve said immediately.

Tony kissed him, herding Steve back against the tiled wall as he deepened it and did everything he could to cover him and act as though he was the larger of the pair. Because it seemed like Steve needed a little of that tonight.

And he loved that Tony understood that about him.

He slid carefully to his knees and moved his hands up along Tony's thighs.

He ran his hands over Steve's cheek and jaw to tilt his head up to smile down fondly at him. "You take my breath away, sweetheart. My best fella--"

Was he using that sort of language as another tool in this? Yes. Yes, he was.

Steve whimpered, a soft sound barely audible over the sound of the water, and nuzzled into Tony's hand.

More of that, yes, please.

"My very best," Tony said with a smile, running his thumb along Steve's lips. "You're doing so well and we've only just started."

Steve's tongue darted out to lick the pad of Tony's thumb. "Good," he murmured.

Somehow that smiled turned more fond as he traced Steve's lips one last time. "Stay here for me, darling," Tony said, stepping away just long enough to grab a towel before rejoining him. "For under your knees."

Because this was all about taking care of Steve after all.

"It'll get wet," Steve protested.

Tony hummed in agreement with that. "Taking care of you is more important to me," he said simply.

Steve bit his lower lip. "You're sure."

"Very sure," Tony said, crouching down for another of the deep, claiming kisses to emphasize it.

Steve sighed happily into Tony's mouth. "You're sure," he echoed. His hands trailed along Tony's legs. "Let me help you feel good."

"You always do," Tony replied, smiling as he pushed wet hair off Steve's face to look at him. "So wonderful for me."

Steve's answering smile was almost painfully bright. "You're incredible."

"I think the very same about you," Tony replied quietly. Which was awfully sweet as he pressed forward just a bit, guiding Steve's face to tilt just right for him.

Steve let out a long, satisfied breath, nuzzling against Tony.

"God, you look beautiful like this," he murmured, brushing his thumbs over Steve's cheekbones, slowly rocking his hips forward. Nothing forceful, just... enjoying the moment.

Steve slid his tongue over Tony, content to let Tony take the lead on how we wanted this to go. Not having to think was really swell. It was making his brain going pleasantly fuzzy.

Which was exactly what Tony had been hoping to accomplish with this. Well, one of the things.

He had a mental list of things to turn Steve's brain to happy mush.

"That good for you?" Tony asked, watching his eyes to see how blown out his pupils were.

He was looking pretty bleary when he glanced back up, pupils blown so wide it was hard to see the blue. "So good."

Tony gave him another of those terribly fond smiles. He was still gentle in his movements, but just a little more insistent now as he pressed a thumb between Steve's lips. "I love that you trust me with this. That I can give you this, sweetheart."

"Mmmm," Steve said, eyes drifting closed for a second. "Course I trust you."

"It's humbling," Tony replied, moving almost achingly slow to replace his thumb with his dick.

Steve let out a low moan and opened his mouth wider.

There. That's what he'd needing.

Tony breathed a little deeper, keeping himself under as much control as he could while both pulling Steve forward and leaning in to meet him. "Your mouth is so amazing," he murmured. "How well you take it."

Steve let out a contented hum and swirled his tongue.

"Will you put your hands behind your back for me?" Tony asked, struggling for a moment to maintain his control.

Steve moved his hands immediately.

Following orders settled something else in his mind.

"Good boy," Tony hummed, stroking Steve's hair before getting a grip there to control the movement.

Steve hummed happily, opening his mouth wider in anticipation. He was trying so hard to be good.

He was succeeding if Tony's reactions were anything to go by. He pulled Steve closer to meet him as he put those super soldier skills to the test, pressing in deeper. "So good, babe. Raking it so well."

Steve whimpered, tears springing to his eyes as he pressed in as far as he could, until Tony hit the back of his throat.

"Fuck, Steve," Tony murmured, fingers going tight on Steve's hair. He managed let go with one hand in order to brush his thumb over Steve's eyelashes where they fanned out over his cheeks to wipe away any tears that leaked out. "I love how eager you are for it."

Edited 2018-08-28 00:34 (UTC)

Steve hummed in reply, then rocked slightly back on his knees before swallowing Tony all the way down again.

Tony had to pull his hand away from Steve's cheek to support himself against the shower wall, spreading his legs for balance and leaning in to take just what Steve was giving to him there. The harsh gasps from Tony echoed loudly over the sound of the running water as he found a rhythm.

And hearing Tony like that made more of the tenseness in Steve's stomach unspool. Steve moaned and glanced up at Tony from under his eyelashes.

Tony bit his bottom lip once be made eye contact with him. "Look at you," he stuttered, unable to keep from touching him all along the side of his face and jaw and high up on his throat.

Steve moaned, tears coming again as he tried to take Tony deeper.

Tony kept himself upright with one forearm braced against the wall as his knees felt a little weak and he choked off an even louder groan at how good that felt.

He moved his other hand down to hold Steve's head in place as gently as he could to enjoy the wet heat of Steve's mouth and throat.

Steve's brain had gone happily foggy, concentrating only on drawing more of those delicious noises from Tony.

Which wasn't hard when he was swallowing him down so sweetly. Each little movement of his tongue or swallow garnered another desperate groan despite how hard Tony tried to keep them contained.

He'd feel guilty later on for not pulling back as quickly as he ought to for Steve to regain his breath, but right now it just felt too good.

And Steve's list of priorities had Tony much higher than pesky ol' oxygen. He hummed contentedly, happy to stay right where he was for as long as Tony wanted him.

Which was probably future conversation that wpuld make Steve turn red and pray for a hole to open up and hide him, but whatever. Tony could be patient.

Sometimes.

"Jesus-fucking--" He was also without words as he pulled Steve off with some reluctance. "Your mouth is a weapon."

Steve smiled, wiping a bit at his mouth in reply. "Good?"

"Amazing," he corrected, wiping at the tears and then Steve's lips as he caught his breath. "Baby, I'd die happy with your mouth on me."

Steve pressed his head against Tony's stomach at that. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me, sweetheart? It's the truth. You've been so very good for me," he nearly purred the last part, hugging him close.

Steve hugged him back, content. "I like getting to help you."

That made Tony smile and brush his fingers through Steve's hair. "That is mutual. I want to help you shut out those bad thoughts for a little while."

"Shut out all the thoughts," Steve mumbled happily. "'s nice."

"On your feet, soldier," he said softly, curling his fingers under Steve's chin to gently tilt his head up. "I have plans for you."

Steve gave him a slightly bleary smile. "I like your plans."

A smile that Tony was simply forced to kiss before an answering one could form on his own lips. "You are going to wash quickly, before the hot water runs out. And then we are going to take this to the bedroom."

"Sir, yessir," Steve murmured, getting up and standing under the spray.

Tony graciously helped him out by grabbing the soap to wash everywhere he could reach. Which meant more than a fair amount of groping despite his orders.

"I think I like you calling me that," he teased.

"I can do it as much as you'd like, then," Steve said.

"Do you like it?" Tony asked, curling his fingers around Steve's previously neglected cock. To help with the cleaning maybe?

Steve let out a low moan. "Oh, I do."

"Then I like it a whole lot more now," Tony murmured, moving his hand slowly. "Keep washing up."

"Yessir," Steve said, cleaning himself on autopilot while his brain shut down.

Which meant he was rewarded with a slightly faster moving hand, giving him a slick slide as the water ran over them both. "Very good," Tony murmured, biting at Steve's shoulder and shamelessly grinding against his thigh.

Steve moaned quietly, rocking into Tony's hand.

"Dry off and get on the bed," Tony said, voice dropping into something deeper and huskier as he nipped hard one last time.

Steve shivered and gave Tony's neck one last nuzzle before getting out of the shower and reaching for a towel.

"Hands and knees," Tony added with a playful smack on his ass.

"Yes, sir," Steve said with a dreamy little smile, getting up onto the bed.

Tony took a moment to get himself under control with cooler water before shutting it off to join Steve, towel wrapped around his waist. "Look at you," he cooed, eyes dark as he watched Steve.

"Is that an order?" Steve murmured.

Such a little shit.

Tony hummed, running his hand down Steve's spine. "No, just an observation about how gorgeous you look like this. An order would be to hold still," he replied softly, trailing his fingers between Steve's cheeks.

Steve held still, even though he let out a little whimper.

"That's my good soldier," Tony said, pressing down for a teasing pressure as he fished around for the lube.

Steve moaned softly, arching back into Tony's fingers.

Tony hummed, only pulling away long enough to slick his fingers before continuing what he'd been doing before. "Do you think I should make easy for you or tease?"

"Tease," Steve gasped. "Please."

"Since you asked so politely," Tony replied, pressing a finger into him and stopping just shy of where he knew Steve wanted it before repeating it again and again.

Steve goaned but stayed very still. He was determined to be very, very good.

For being good for him, Tony added another finger, making sure to just brush the right spot in a pattern that only made sense to him. "Still good, sweetheart?"

Steve whined, high and needy. "Still good."

Covered in sweat already, but still good.

"Very good," Tony replied, letting the smile into his tone. "Are you up for trying something new?"

Steve nodded. "Please. Sir."

Tony kissed the small of his back, pulling his fingers out of him.

"You are so good to me," he murmured, hunting down that toy that had broken Steve's poor, poor brain just looking at before.

Steve sighed happily, closing his eyes and waiting for Tony to return.

Which didn't take too long as he sat on the bed next to Steve, getting the you slick before just starting to press it into Steve. Like he was testing the waters in case he didn't react positively.

Steve let out a surprised little "Oh!" before relaxing again.

Tony trailed his other hand down Steve's back soothingly as he continued to press it into him, slow but insistent. "Still good?"

Steve moaned. "Oh God," he whispered. "Keep going."

"Gorgeous man." Tony let out a shaky breath, shifting closer toward him on the bed as he slowly fucked him with that toy.

"You didn't tell me how this felt," Steve murmured.

Tony hummed, smiling to himself as he took that as his queue to turn on the vibrating functions of it. All part of his insidious plan to melt Steve's brain.

Steve let out a surprised little yelp at that change. "Tony!"

"Still good?" Tony asked, leaning in to kiss along his spine and hide his smile at how Steve reacted to it.

"Still good," Steve said, nodding. "God. So good."

Tony grinned wider, moving his hand a little faster to fuck him with that toy in earnest. "I want you to come for me," he murmured. While also attempting to leave a mark low down on Steve's back because someone had made possessive marking a thing he was into.

Steve moaned. "Didn't know I was allowed--"

"Of course you are," Tony replied, shifting forward to take him in hand. "I want to make you feel so good."

"You already have," Steve gasped, rocking back against the toy, then forward into Tony's hand. "Jesus."

Edited 2018-09-04 01:26 (UTC)

"Just like that," Tony said, moving in time with him to keep driving him utterly insane.

Steve didn't have very far to go--he was letting out involuntary little whimpers as his brain completely whited out.

Tony worked him through that, slowly down the movements of both hands and kindly shutting off the toy before it could turn uncomfortable. "Gorgeous," he murmured.

Steve collapsed a bit on the bed, smiling happily. "Mmm."

And at that, Tony grinned, pulling the toy out of him so he could cover Steve with his body like a very heavy blanket. Well, heavy to someone who wasn't a super soldier probably. "You made such a mess," Tony said, sounding utterly delighted with it.

"Mmm," Steve agreed, which should have been words but..well. Effort.

Tony laughed, muffling it against Steve's shoulder. "Now I know what to get you for Christmas," he teased.

"Mmmf," Steve agreed.

Yeah, that just made him laugh a little harder, holding onto Steve's arms to keep from falling off of him. "God, I love you."

"Love you too," Steve said into the mattress.

"Feeling more human, sweetheart?" Tony asked, cuddling the hell out of him .

"Dunno," Steve said. "Feeling more like a wrung-out dishcloth."

"A very handsome dishcloth," Tony assured him, shifting so he could press a kiss to Steve's cheek.

Steve smiled, flopping his hand out to squeeze Tony's hand. "Flatterer."

Tony smiled back at him, squeezing Steve's hand. "I'll flatter you till the end of my days," he teased. Well. Half teased.

Steve's eyes got a little misty at that--too many emotions floating around right now. "Promise?"

"Promise," Tony replied with complete sincerity, kissing his cheek again.

"I do not deserve you," Steve murmured.

Tony only let go of Steve's hand in order to cup his cheek and tilt his head toward him. "Agree to disagree on that."

Steve smiled at him. "You sell yourself short, sweetheart."

"You do the same," Tony murmured, sounding more amused than argumentative about it.

"True," Steve said, far too wrung out to argue about it.

Steve Rogers was not arguing. Look what you did, Tony.

And on that day, Tony gained a power than man was not yet ready for.

Tony kissed him playfully, running his fingers through Steve's hair. "How about we take a nice nap and stay in bed until we're forced to be adults again?"

"Sounds swell," Steve said, snuggling closer and closing his eyes. "Mmm. That feels good, too."

"Then I'll have to keep doing it," Tony replied, trying and failing to sound put out as he rested his cheek against Steve's shoulder to lazily continue rubbing Steve's scalp with one hand.

"Mmmm," Steve said, arching a bit into Tony's fingers. "Thank you."

"Sleep. I'm not going anywhere soon." Well, maybe to get a washcloth.

"Promise?" Steve mumbled, already mostly asleep.

"Promise," he repeated, kissing Steve on the shoulder.

Steve was out cold for a good hour before the nightmare started, and he started stirring restlessly on the bed.

Tony murmured a sleepy sound that could have been confusion as to why his pillow was moving or automatic comfort to the sounds of distress. Honestly, a mixture of the two was most likely.

Steve let out a low whimper and moved closer to Tony.

In his mind, everything was icy, and dark, and endlessly, endlessly wet.

"S'okay," Tony mumbled, wrapping his arms and legs around Steve like the touch starved octopus he was inside.

"Cold," Steve whispered.

"Heat, J," Tony said, groping blindly for the blanket. Which was probably trapped under them, but he was still trying.

Steve bolted upright, panting hard and with a hand clapped over his mouth to stop the scream he was sure he'd been letting out.

Tony shot up next to him, blinking rapidly to clear his brain up from the autopilot he'd been on. "Steve?" he asked, carefully reaching for his shoulder.

Steve shuddered, but reached out to hang onto Tony's hand. "Sorry."

"S'okay," Tony said, immediately pulling him closer. "Nothing to apologize for."

"Just a dream," Steve murmured, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "Ugh."

"Yeah, those might happen with more frequency after your camping trip," Tony replied, kissing his temple.

"Ugh," Steve repeated, with feeling.

"Yeah," Tony agreed with a little huff of commiserating laughter.

"Can I just skip that part?" Steve asked.

"Wouldn't that be nice," Tony replied dryly, kissing him on the temple again.

"Get to work on that, genius of mine," Steve murmured, resting his head tiredly on Tony's shoulder.

Steve, that way lay things like BARF. "Okay," Tony said with complete sincerity, stroking the back of Steve's head and neck soothingly.

Steve sighed. "That feels nice. The room too."

JARVIS had gotten it a little toasty.

Tony was going to end up sweaty and gross, but as long as Steve was happy, he could deal with it.

"Lay down with me again," he said, pulling Steve gently back against the bed. This time with Steve using his chest as a pillow.

Steve wrapped an arm around Tony's chest and pressed a kiss against Tony's shoulder. "You spoil me."

"You do the same to me on bad nights," he replied, still idly trailing his fingers through Steve's hair.

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. "There haven't been many of those in a while," he murmured.

"Didn't get stuck in any caves over weird weekends," he teased. Because he always had to make light of his trauma. Always.

Steve, who knew him pretty well by now, leaned up to give him a soft kiss for that.

A kiss that Tony gladly returned. "We have our good days and our bad ones."

"I'm glad you're here for both," Steve said earnestly.

That earned him a terribly fond smile as Tony tilted Steve's head up for another kiss. "Happy to be here too."

Apartment Above Stark Industries, Sunday Evening

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