Title: Eyes of Glass

Fandom: The Avengers

Pairing: Steve/Tony

Rating: T

Warning: Tony Feels, Established Relationship

Inspired by: Is Anybody Out There? Cover by Madilyn Bailey and Corey Gray

Disclaimer: Tony and Steve do not belong to me. Only the plot.

Summary: Ever since Tony has been just a small child with little hands that tinkered and big eyes that told stories of child wonder, he always knew he was alone.

Author's Note: Just a little ficlet that came to mind when I was listening to that song. It is kind of short (only 898 words); it isn't that great since I am not that great of an author, but I hope you enjoy the story and maybe tell me what you think at the end.


Ever since Tony has been just a small child with little hands that tinkered and big eyes that told stories of child wonder, he always knew he was alone. Even if he didn't know what that truly meant.

There was always someone around, but that doesn't mean they were truly there. Nobody spoke to him, no 'hello' and no 'how are you today?'. The only people that ever did that was Jarvis or Peggy when she could come to visit him here and there. But those didn't quite matter to him at the time since all he wanted was for his father to stop what he was doing to see what he did, or for his mother to not be so distant and do more than ruffle his hair on the occasional time she passed by.

He grew used the small empty feeling in his chest, to be alone with his tools or his little robot that rolled on small wheels that said 'good morning' and 'good night' to him. But that only kept him occupied so long; then the feeling would get deeper, heavier and it would pull him down and all he could do was curl up under his blankets, close his eyes as wet warmth pooled in them and hope to fall asleep easily.

Teachers at school would ask why he always looked so sad, but he would never answer. Tony would change the subject or just shrug it off his little shoulders. People would look at him with pity in their eyes or questions on their tongue, and it got to be an nuisance. So he did what all the people at daddy's parties did. Practiced a fake smile that could placate the person in question. He never quite got his eyes to be stony until later in life when he was attending MIT at 16 where people we more vicious and wanted more than a smile.


Tony hated attending these galas even more then board meetings. Pepper always encouraged -forced- him to go even though he whined and told her there was a good reason why he didn't want to; even though he never did utter the real reason. Always that he had upgrades to do, or project to finish. Not that he thought that everyone was too fake with their painted plastic smiles and veiled glass eyes. The forced interest and the shifting looks to everyone else but the person you were talking with. He never told he was alone in a crowded room, but just as closed off as everyone else. He had the same sculpted smile, though far more believable. He never told of the walls he put up so no one could look into his astonishing blues to see what was underneath the shine and glamor.

So he just mingled and flirted like the Tony Stark everyone knew would. He would twirl the gold band on his left ring finger with the silent hope to just go home to the tower and just invent or tinker and do what he did best. Avoid the world and all its fake people and smiles that he saw too often for his liking.

But then there was Steve who came up behind him and wrapped his arm around his waist. He would give a chaste kiss to his forehead and genuine smile that was reserved for him. Steve would look at him with love and adoration in his blue eyes that you could get lost in and ask how he was doing. He would make sure Tony could feel the warm press of Steve's matching gold band on his ring finger and Tony would feel a small smile spread on his lips at that.

Tony would then turn to face his husband with a smirk and kiss him on his plush lips. It would start of soft and sweet, then a soft tongue would trace his lips and they would caress each others tongues when entrance was grant and with a small sigh on Steve's end. They would separate with a suckle of a bottom lip and a quiet smack that could only be heard by them. Eyes with surprise would be looking at them from people all around and Tony wouldn't be able to help the smirk that spread on his face.

"Ready to go home, Steve?" he would get a nod in response and they would walk away from the plastic smiles and veiled eyes with interest flirting at the edges.

Maybe he wasn't as alone as he was before, since now he will always those sweet smiles and soft eyes that were always on him.


Thank you for taking the time to read this.