imafuturist | Private Lab of the Baby Stark Tower, Friday Afternoon

And Steve was back down, checking in before JARVIS' 36 hours-without-sunshine-or-showers alarm went off again.

"Tony?" he said, rapping on the door as he came in. "I've brought non-smoothie food."

Edited 2025-05-02 16:40 (UTC)

He was just in the zone here!

"Pizza?" Tony asked, looking up at him with a pair of ridiculous welding goggles covering his eyes.

"You've never been sexier," Steve said dryly, then grinned. "But yes, pizza."

Tony looked down at what he was working on before deciding it could hold long enough to eat. "I can't help my good looks," he replied, putting the torch to the side and tugging off his glasses.

"They are breathtaking," Steve agreed with a teasing smile and a kiss. "Hello. It's Friday."

"...no it's not." He had plans! Vacation plans!

"It really is," Steve said. "Sorry."

"I was going to take you to see the chateau!" The one that Steve had super wanted to own, right?

"We can still go," Steve said with a smile, "but only if you can tear yourself away from Mark---"

What number was this, Tony?

"The number isn't important." Way too high.

Steve's lips quirked up. "Do I need to ask JARVIS?"

"About booking a flight? Definitely," Tony replied.

Steve laughed. "The number's that high?"

"I just was inspired this week," Tony hedged.

Steve smiled and handed him a slice of pizza along with a kiss on the cheek. "Walk me through them?"

"Bribing me for company secrets?" He teased, even as he went into just far too much detail.

Steve's eyes were shining with pride--he loved Tony in his element--and he did his very best to keep up with all of the tech talk.

Tony had finished three slices of pizza before realizing just how much he was rambling about the power coupling issue with the new suit. "But I think I have it now."

"I've got faith," Steve said with a grin. "Do I need to go grab another pizza?" he added. "We've got tons."

"Well, I'd never turn down a homecooked... frozen pizza," he teased back.

"I know my strengths," Steve said. "Cooking is not one of them."

"Neither of us have that skill," Tony replied dryly. "But we can manage a frozen pizza. With J to remind us."

JARVIS' silence there felt a little judgmental to Steve. "You need more pizza," he decided.

Tony considered that as he polished off the crust of his last slice. "We need more."

Steve smiled. "I haven't been living on smoothies for thirty hours."

"I had a protein bar!" Oh yeah, that counted.

Steve shot him the "I am So Disappointed In You" look for that.

Disappointment was super effective on him.

"Okay, okay. Pizza. I'll come upstairs."

Steve's face lit up. "And after we've eaten, you can change your shirt."

Hint, hint, Tony.

"And maybe take a shower?" Tony suggested, catching that hint with a sniff.

"That would be a swell idea, too," Steve agreed.

"Next time I'll set an alarm," he promised.

He'd disable said alarm after it interrupted him, but still.

"I'd appreciate it," Steve said with a small smile. "I missed you."

"You're always allowed to drag me out of there," Tony said, standing up to pop something in his back that he hadn't noticed before.

Steve's smile widened. "That's why I came down."

"Food, shower... sleep?" Tony was hedging on what time of day it was. Look, he didn't put windows in the lab.

It was still the afternoon, not that he knew it.

"A nap's probably a good idea," Steve said. "And maybe a walk with the dog."

"Not a jog, right?" He knew you, Steve.

Steve laughed. "Not a jog. Patty's missed you too. Prepare to be bowled over, and not just because you smell like pizza."

"There are too many places for him to get wedged down here," Tony said like that was clearly the only reason a dog shouldn't be in the lab.

"There are," Steve agreed. "And he'd be under foot constantly."

Tony sighed, looking around at the organized chaos. "Okay. Okay. Food."

"Thank you," Steve said, kissing Tony between the eyes.

"Thank you for dragging me out." He needed to be reminded sometimes.

"You're welcome," Steve said with an earnest smile. "Looks like you got a lot of good things accomplished."

"I did," Tony said, brightening up. "It's never enough, but..."

"But it will be waiting for you after food, shower, and a nap," Steve said.

"You make it sound easy," Tony grumbled, hooking his arm around Steve's to let him lead them out of the lab.

"The food will help the rest of it seem doable," Steve teased softly.

"I'll take your word on it," Tony replied as the elevator doors opened.

"I've been told I have a trustworthy face," Steve agreed, giving Tony a sideways hug.

"Oh, is that it?" he teased.

Steve smiled and nodded, giving Tony his most Cap smile.

Tony snorted and elbowed him for that. "Okay, Star Spangled Man."

"With a plan," Steve said. "Food, shower, nap."

"In that order," Tony agreed with a nod.

"I might even join you on the nap once I take the dog for a walk," Steve said.

Said dog was currently doing a corgi-shaped missile of joy impression as he raced towards Tony.

Tony wheezed as he was slammed into by said missile. "Hey, buddy. Missed you too."

Steve helpfully took a picture, smiling.

"At least let me pose for a picture," Tony grumbled.

"But then I wouldn't have gotten this swell look on your face," Steve said, showing him.

"You're cruel and very lucky I'm too nice to delete that," Tony informed him, lifting the dog up to lick Steve in retribution.

"It's adorable," Steve said between sputters.

Tony hummed and enjoyed it before mercifully setting the dog back down. "You promised me more food."

...and Patriot was sprinting towards the kitchen. He almost made that turn!

"Ow," Steve said, wincing sympathetically. "But yes, food. Coming right up."

He grinned. "I didn't get bored enough to try to make anything hard from scratch."

"Well, we can wait until the fall to look into anything for a future class."

JARVIS was already stocking up on fire extinguishers.

There was a surplus now that Beaker was off the island!

"Paintball will be fun," Steve said with a laugh. "Teambuilding."

"You just want to beat the dean," Tony said, looking into the freezer.

"And that," Steve added. "And the SEAL."

"Don't you beat him enough on your jogs?"

"Is once a day really enough?" Steve asked.

Tony snorted again and shook his head. "You're mean."

And he loved it.

"It's good for him," Steve said with a smile. "Teach him to join the Navy."

"You're a cruel man," Tony said with a laugh.

"I wouldn't say cruel," Steve said with a tiny smile. "Just...reinforcing."

"That's fair. He should have joined the superior armed forces, the Air Force."

Tony, no.

Steve gasped aloud. "Anthony."

"Something the matter?" Tony asked, beaming.

"You're much more sleep deprived than I thought," Steve said with a grin.

"I am very loyal to my Rhodey-bear," Tony replied with a grin. "I can't help it."

"You are married to an Army officer with many more medals than Rhodey," Steve pointed out, since Rhodey outranked him.

"Yes, but Carol and Rhodey out number you," Tony pointed out. "Even more if we include your Sam."

"They might outnumber me, but they can't beat me," Steve decided.

"I'm going to hold your hand while I say this," Tony said, reaching out to do just that. "But my money is on Carol in that fight."

Captain America would not pout, but Steve's face was definitely doing a thing that was slightly pout adjacent.

"I say it with love," Tony insisted.

"I know you do," Steve said. But still. Ow.

"Carol would also kick my ass," Tony said, leaning in to kiss him.

Steve kissed him back. "Then I'm in good company."

"We very much are," Tony agreed. "Don't worry, Rhodey will protect us."

"That's very gracious of him," Steve said.

"He's obligated to. As my best friend," Tony said, turning to set the oven temperature.

It was too high for the pizza.

Steve sneakily reached over and turned it back down to non-lava levels.

"Will he protect me too?"

Tony did not even notice.

"Of course! He likes you too."

"Not as much as he likes you," Steve said, smiling.

"Well, of course. I'm amazing," Tony said, turning to hook his arms around Steve's neck.

"And so modest," Steve teased, leaning in for another kiss.

"Exactly how people describe me," he teased.

"As modest as a Stark," Steve said. "I've definitely heard that."

Sarcastically, but he'd heard it!

Tony hummed as he kissed Steve again. "That sounds like you wish you'd taken my last name."

Steve chuckled. "I've been Steve Rogers for too long to change it now."

"I'll allow it," Tony decided.

"Thank you," Steve said, stealing a kiss as he forgot about watching the pizza.

JARVIS would warn them if it was in too long, right?

"I am taking you on vacation. Since we have the time between classes."

"A vacation sounds swell," Steve said, smiling. "Where are we going?"

"Greece?" Tony suggested.

"I like Greece," Steve said.

They could burn pizza in Greece, too.

"And we finally have the place there set up for Patty," Tony added. Meaning there was a dog sized pool just for him.

Normal things! On a scale of Tony.

"He'll love it," Steve said, thinking on a scale of Steve, so...baby gate installation.

One day he'd learn. One day.

"So, Monday maybe?"

Steve smiled. "It's a date. You're leaving most of the suits behind?"

"...yes." But it was a reluctant yes.

Steve reeled Tony in for a slow, sweet kiss as incentive for doing a difficult thing.

"You'll keep me distracted," Tony murmured.

"It's my favorite vacation activities," Steve said brightly.

"Looks like we've got a plan," Tony said, leaning in for another kiss.

And crispy pizza! They'd figure that out later. Steve pulled Tony in tight and kissed him back.

Plenty of fire extinguishers in the kitchen for it!

Tony hummed, holding onto him like this was just what he needed after forgetting about a week.

Steve was happy to provide the incentive to come out of the lab (especially since the pizza was going to be a bust)! He pushed Tony over towards the counter to continue the kissing.

Which made Tony laugh, moving with him. "Missed me that much?"

"I missed you a very normal amount," Steve told him.

Tony hummed like he agreed with that. "Of course, of course."

"You didn't miss me?" Steve teased.

"Oh, I always miss you," Tony replied, kissing him again. "I pine for you."

"You pine," Steve repeated.

"Endlessly," Tony agreed.

"That's strangely nice to hear," Steve said with a laugh.

"I'd be utterly lost without you," Tony said, grinning as he cupped Steve's face in his hands.

Steve smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "I love you, too."

Tony kissed him back. Then sniffed.

"Is something burning?"

"The pizza!" Steve yelped.

Which was when the fire alarm went off. Of course.

"A fire extinguisher is to your left, Captain. And to your right. And in the cabinet behind you."

Always prepared, that JARVIS.

"Thank you, JARVIS," Steve said, reaching to his right. "Tony, turn off the oven and open the door."

"It can't be that bad, right?" Tony asked, doing just as he was asked to see the little fire blazing away. "Oh."

"Well, it's why we taught the class and didn't try to cook ourselves," Steve said, firing the exinguisher.

"Nothing was ever this bad," Tony sighed, already grabbing the phone to just order pizza.

"The pea cake wasn't even this bad," Steve agreed.

"It was kinda like carrot cake," Tony agreed.

"Just green," Steve said. "This...this is more carbon."

"I'm ordering from Raiden," Tony replied. They possibly half funded that place.

"That is an excellent pivot," Steve said, kissing him again. "You can shower while we wait."

"We have them on speed dial for a reason."

"He makes excellent pies," Steve said approvingly.

"Almost as good as back home." Because New Yorkers gotta New Yorker.

"Almost," Steve agreed. He swatted Tony's ass with a grin. "Go shower. I'll clean up in here."

"Bossy," Tony called back, pushing himself off to head toward the bathroom.

"You love it!" Steve called back, already with his head in the oven to clean it out.

And Tony... didn't fall asleep in the nice, warm shower, only because he had the music playing much too loudly for that. But he did wander on out in a robe, looking drowsy.

"Remind me of our plans again."

"Shower, pizza, nap," Steve said with a fond smile. "You look cozy."

"It was very warm," Tony said, wrapping his arms around Steve's waist to lean against him. "And I might have realized how little I slept."

"But you still need to eat," Steve said, holding Tony up.

"Pizza," Tony agreed. "And then my super soldier teddy bear, right?"

"Yes," Steve said indulgently.

"I am very happy with this plan," Tony said with a firm nod against Steve's shoulder.

"You're very clingy when you're exhausted," Steve said. "I like it."

"Well, usually you exhaust me in other ways," he teased.

Steve laughed. "After a nap."

"Works for me." Hopefully Steve wouldn't hold it against him if the nap ended up being ten hours of normal rest.

Steve was kind of expecting it, honestly. "Sit at the table and eat a slice, then you can hit the hay," he said.

"Best husband ever," Tony said with a quick kiss.

"You don't have other husbands to compare me to," Steve said, smiling as he pulled back.

"Pretty great husband," he corrected with a laugh.

"Much more reasonable," Steve decided, smiling as he got Tony a piece of pizza.

"I'll get you mug for that," Tony suggested. "Pretty great husband."

Steve laughed. "I'd use it with pride."

"Maybe an apron too," Tony suggested.

"I don't know if I'd use an apron," Steve said.

"For our baking class, clearly." Where they did zero baking.

"To protect my clothing from student disasters?" Steve asked.

Unlike their own disasters.

"Exactly!" And to wear in the nude around the house.

Well, obviously.

"Are you doing another cooking class?" Steve asked, smiling.

"Maybe in the fall." So not right now.

"After paintball," Steve agreed.

"Of course. What? Ruin our summer tradition?" Tony said, leaning in for a pizza sauce-y kiss.

"I'd worry about what would happen if all of that energy wasn't given an outlet," Steve admitted.

"Please do not get into too much of a rivalry with Thor," Tony said. Because the McGarrett thing was a lost cause.

"Just some friendly competition," Steve promised.

"If you destroy something in town, I'm not paying for it."

Lies. He was definitely paying for it.

"We won't," Steve said. "Probably."

"Mmhmm," Tony replied, taking another slice of pizza. "I'll remind you of that."

"We'll sort it out before class," Steve said.

Private Lab of the Baby Stark Tower, Friday Afternoon

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