Secret AIM Facility - Long Island, NY - Saturday Morning

[imafuturist]

After the complete clusterfuck that was yesterday, Tony was going for a tried and true method of coping called 'go beat up bad guys for touching his stuff.' It was super fun.

And he did promise to let this version of Steve hit the armor for stress tests, but hitting AIM seemed like a way better plan. So, hitting AIM it was.

"If you see anyone in ridiculous yellow outfits, they're the bad guys," Tony said, looking through the list of Stark technology on the premises that was helpfully listed by JARVIS after a quick scan of the place. He was going to blow up so much stuff today.

It almost made up for the fact that he was in Long Island.

[for the captain who would be confused if Tony said 'Assemble!']

Comments

[imafuturist]

That earned him an amused little side eye. "Up until four years ago, Stark Industries was best known as a weapons manufacturer."

[heroic_jawline]

"From what I've seen, there've been plenty of people to shoot at," Steve commented.

[imafuturist]

Tony's smile at that was a little brittle. "There always is. But after Korea came Vietnam and a generation of kids who wanted to know why they were being drafted to die in a country most of them had never heard of."

[heroic_jawline]

"Guess 'because it's the right thing to do' was wearing a little thin?" Steve guessed.

[imafuturist]

"I'll let you decide on right or wrong for yourself in the wars from Vietnam on," Tony replied, perking back up quickly. "Gets a little hazy sometimes."

[heroic_jawline]

"Looking forward to it," Steve said dryly, reaching up to swipe his bangs into some semblance of order. "So. Pizza?"

[imafuturist]

"Leave 'em. People will think it's a trend," Tony said, leading the way on out of the building.

[heroic_jawline]

"Looking unkempt is a trend?" asked the man in a sweater, tight blue pants and red leather boots, making a face.

[imafuturist]

"I assure you, it's restaurant appropriate attire." It took all of Tony's mental fortitude to say it with a straight face.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve sighed. "Fine, I trust you."

Oh, Steve.

[imafuturist]

It was a moderately poor choice. But one many a Steve made.

Tony waited for a moment, letting Steve relax before, "So, booty call. Huh?"

[heroic_jawline]

Steve's face now matched his boots.

"Huh?"

[imafuturist]

Damn right it was.

"Not ringing any bells? I don't have to clear out of the apartment for the night for your illicit love affair?"

[heroic_jawline]

"Oh, God, no," Steve said, all but melting through the floor in embarrassment.

[imafuturist]

"Because I support your choices, Steve," Tony continued. Because he was the worst person ever.

[heroic_jawline]

"I'm not making any choices!" Steve flailed. "I just got a bunch of really brazen calls from strangers!"

[imafuturist]

"Brazen?" Your language was the most precious thing ever, Steve. "Well, I told you about those hippies. Part of that involved free love."

Which was one of Tony's favorite parts.

[heroic_jawline]

"Well, I wasn't going to pay for it," Steve said, sounding scandalized.

[imafuturist]

Tony was really regretting that Pepper didn't get his message from Friday right now.

"Also a good philosophy," he said slowly. "But free love means that people can have sex if they want to. All without getting married."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve snorted slightly. "People had sex in the '40s without getting married, too, Tony. They just had to be more careful about it."

Or be Howard.

[imafuturist]

In no way did Tony want to think about Howard's philandering in a non-joking fashion.

"You've shattered my illusions of the 40s being a simpler time where babies were brought by storks." Honestly. "Now being careful means condoms. Which I assume also existed then, otherwise I'd have at least twenty half siblings running around."

[heroic_jawline]

"Condoms were standard issue in the Army," Steve said, smiling. "Bucky used 'em to keep his rifle barrel dry."

That was the worst non-intentional euphemism ever, Steve.

[imafuturist]

...damn it, Steve. Tony was struggling with not laughing again.

"That's generally the purpose of it, yes."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve blinked at him for a moment, confused, before he really thought about what he'd said.

"No, his actual gun," he said, turning red from the tips of his ears down.

[imafuturist]

"You are way too easy," Tony replied, laughing. "You sure you spent time around USO girls?"

Maybe they were different then! Or Tony had a way about him...