Apartment Above Stark Industries, Friday Afternoon

[imafuturist]

Tony shot up, one hand immediately going to his now perfectly normal chest before registering where he was.

"Time'z'it?" he mumbled, pressing the heel of his hand against the bridge of his nose stabilize the pounding in his head as he quickly silenced all the data feeds surging in at once. Again, no clue how natural telepaths lived like this all the time.

"It is currently 1:26 P.M. Eastern standard time," JARVIS supplied helpfully.

He untangled himself from the throw blanket and sat up on the couch to glare at where Fox News was still quietly playing on the TV. Because Tony was a masochist.

Ugh, naps were simultaneously the best and worst things in the world.

[for the housemate!]

Comments

[imafuturist]

"You're an outlier and should not be counted," Tony replied easily. "I'm around too many statuesque blondes to really live up to my potential."

[heroic_jawline]

"Well, Thor ruins it for everyone," Steve allowed.

[imafuturist]

"Thor, both of you, Carol, Barton if you squint enough, Sue is a knock out..."

Thank god he had Jan around to be not blond with.

[heroic_jawline]

"I've never squinted that hard at Barton, but Natasha is gorgeous if she doesn't punch you for staring too hard," Steve said.

Which really only added to her appeal if you asked Steve.

[imafuturist]

"Well, redhead." And no, the punching did nothing to deter Tony either. Because he dated people capable of eviscerating him with knives or words. "Gotta love a redhead."

And then be sad that there was one version of him out there who had his life together enough that he and Pepper worked. Barton's wedding was going to be the worst.

[heroic_jawline]

"Redheads, huh?" Steve, smiling. "I dunno. I like brunettes with good right hooks."

[imafuturist]

Tony snorted, relaxing back against the couch and putting his feet up on the nearest bit of furniture. "I think Maria Hill is single."

[heroic_jawline]

"...I'm not ready for that," Steve decided.

[imafuturist]

"Heartbreaker," Tony chided.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve snorted. "Not once ever in my life."

[imafuturist]

"I really find that hard to believe," Tony replied with a laugh. "No string of ladies crushed that you had to move on to the next city?"

[heroic_jawline]

"None that ever told me," Steve said, blushing. "I wasn't that guy, Stark. Bucky's that guy."

[imafuturist]

Tony shrugged, grinning unrepentant. It was a little strange to think of the Bucky he knew of compared to this other one. Considering...

"I don't think I'm that guy either. But apparently I am." If you listen to the papers.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve blinked. "Yeah, I don't see it. It's not like there's a parade coming through here."

[imafuturist]

"I like to date. I like being with someone, but my life doesn't always match up with what they want," he said with a little helpless shrug. "Even before Iron Man."

[heroic_jawline]

"I am not exactly the expert on this area," Steve said. "At all. Girls weren't exactly lining up to dance with the guy they might step on."

[imafuturist]

"Then they weren't worth your time either," Tony replied easily. "Looks are nice and all, but they're not everything in a relationship."

He'd had enough relationships to know that one. Enough failed relationships. So maybe he wasn't really the expert either.

[heroic_jawline]

"Probably true," Steve said. "After Pearl Harbor, it just didn't seem that important anyway."

[imafuturist]

"Yeah, I can see that," Tony muttered. His own version of that sort of life changing thing not being something he wanted to think about. "And now you're on an island where the dating pool is three people. You won the lottery there, Cap."

[heroic_jawline]

"They're all real nice ladies," Steve said politely, "but I'm really not ready for anything anyhow."

[imafuturist]

And Tony had to snicker again at how polite he was. "I'm only teasing. You'll get there whenever you get there," he said. Then added, "Or not. Also a valid option."

Because Steve was still catching up on these things.

[heroic_jawline]

"I'm still in my twenties," Steve said with a tight smile. "Not sure I'm ready to give up and just be a confirmed bachelor."

[imafuturist]

"Ugh, don't remind me how young you actually are," Tony whined. It was definitely a whine.

And giving Steve the out on dropping that conversation point. But shhh.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve gave him a quick smile in thanks. "I'm a conundrum," he agreed.

[imafuturist]

If Tony felt he was good at anything in a social setting, it was distracting people. Or pissing them off. Fifty-fifty, really.

"I already feel old enough with Clint and Jan. You're not allowed to make me feel like I need a walker too."