[Disclaimer: Do not own any of the characters.
Based on Maroon 5's: One More Night]
He'd seen enough of the images and words on the small screen to put together what had happened. He'd seen enough of Tony and enough of this sneaking out of the house to guess where he'd ended up, he'd spent enough nights alone while Tony was busy working on his projects, enough days alone to know that Tony was pre-occupied. And now this email confirmed it. He'd ignored all the signs for so long.
Too long.
"Where is he?"
Bruce looked up, eyes wide.
"You look angry-"
"Where is Tony?"
"With his cars, outside."
You and I go hard, at eachother like we're going to war.
Red boots strode down the hallway and into the elevator, flattening the button for the ground floor. Doors opened and blue spandex advanced onto the concrete, one fist clenched around the grip of a shield; There was the man of iron himself, torso bent over the hood of a red vehicle.
"Uh, Steve?"
Steve knew that voice. It was the program named Jarvis, and he growled that Tony had been alerted early, planting a foot in the floor as he spun once, releasing his shield with all the strength he could muster. The ore twisted round and round itself, a gasp released as the other superhero whirled out of the way, the bulwark burying itself in the hood and the car, stopping short of flying through the gap.
"Steve, I don't find that funny."
Eyes glared bright blue. Like fire.
"S-Steve?"
Tony stumbled backwards as Steve wrenched the shield from the ruined metal, jaw clenched with anger.
You and I go rough, we keep throwin' things and slammin' the door.
"You sure that's the right name?"
"Why wouldn't it- what the hell, Steve?"
The brunette retreated from the super soldier, hands up slightly in an effort to calm the other. A nervous chuckle, matched by a deadly austere expression.
"When were you going to tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"That you and me were over!"
A soldiers war cry as he brought his weapon down on the younger: surprise when the impact was stopped. Steve looked around the disk, suddenly afraid he'd wounded Tony in anger.
Instead, red plates were quickly working themselves up and down Tony's arm, the superhero's skin taking on the essence of his armor.
"What the...?"
Tony threw his arm up, sending Steve and his buffer back a couple steps, the soldier's eyes wide as he studied his adversary. Iron Man stood in full outfit, phasers charging white hot. His mask was down, but Steve swore he could see Tony's eyes calculating, diagnosing his mistakes.
"I thought you were more of a man than that."
Silence. No reply.
You and I get so, damn dysfunctional we stopped keepin' score.
"Why did you do this to me? What have I done to deserve-"
"You haven't, okay? Just shut up... Just don't speak..." His voice trailed off.
Blue eyes studied the reflective mask.
"We're over, you know that right?"
"No we're not Steve. I made a mistake, okay? I can fix it, I'm sorry. I know my apology doesn't mean much, I know this is all sudden, I'm an idiot and I can admit it-"
"That's not going to work this time."
The iron head tilted up, red and gold glinting in the sun.
"You betrayed me, Tony."
Blue eyes narrowed, chest heaving with emotion.
"You betrayed me, and I was a fool to ever trust you."
You and I get sick, yeah, I know that we can't do this no more.
An iron boot took a hesitant step forward, an arm raising, stopping short.
"I should have known from the very beginning. You're exactly what you call yourself: billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."
"Take that back. You've seen a different side to me Steve. Take that back right now, you know thats not me underneath it all, you know it's-"
"Liar!"
Metal grated. The shield sat between two iron gloves, muscles pumping as Steve drove down with all of his strength. Concrete cracked as the suit tried to hold its ground against the serum's power. A yell of surprise as Steve was thrown backwards, landing on his back before jumping to his feet. A whine from a phaser, the angry sound of energy hitting safeguard as Steve spun it around him for protection. Heat seared the air as Iron Man took to the sky, hovering high above The Captain, watching.
Steve leered up at Tony, both eyes burning blue with fury, his jaw hurting as it clenched harder.
"Steve, we can talk this over."
"Can we Tony? Can we? What do you want to say?"
"That I'm sorry and I love you?"
"Dont lie to my face. So ashamed that you must hide behind a mask."
"I'm not the one hiding behind a shield."
Eyes narrowed again. The soldier turned, walking silently towards the mansion.
So I cross my heart and I hope to die.
"Steve, wait!"
Steve could feel the ground shake as Tony landed, dropping his mask and the armor around his face and neck, stalking after his counterpart. Red and gold fingers grazed a suited shoulder. Steve stopped, eyes scrutinizing as his head turned, chin lifting above Tony's fingers as he took in a breath. Tony's eyes pleaded, his expression stoic.
That I'll only stay with you one more night.
"Bastard."
Tony was caught by surprise, sailing backwards as Steve swung around, shield smashing into Tony's abdomen with crushing force. An iron hand lay over the injured spot, face cringing as he tried to get to his hands and knees. Suddenly he was splayed on the floor again, Steve's clenched fist recoiling from the impact on the metal where he'd made contact. Tony let out a groan, fingers scraping at the concrete as he tried to roll onto his side.
"I know I deserve it. I know I.. Ungh!"
Steve grabbed Tony's wrist, twisting it behind his back so he could hold him against the ground, stradling his back, lowering his lips to Tony's ear.
"I'm worth more than your games, Tony."
Holding Tony for a few more seconds before he stood up, he gave the iron-clad man a good hard shove, eliciting another painful hiss from the injured one.
"Steve..."
"Tony."
But baby there you go again, there you go again makin' me love you.
Tony finally rolled over, and Steve watched as Iron Man retracted his armor, baby blues widening as he witnessed the blood welling beneath Tony's fingers.
"Wha-?"
"You crushed the armor, it was just a prototype, and it pierced the skin." A small chuckle, followed by a cough. Steve was on his knees in an instant, shield clattering against the ground, forgotten.
"Tony..."
"Its fine, you're angry. I'm sorry Steve, I didn't mean it to happen like this. Ever."
Steve ignored him, examining the wound with despondent blue orbs.
Yeah I stopped usin' my head, usin' my head, let it all go.
"You know I love you. Only you. You know it, the times we've spent are no lie. The things we've shared, the memories..."
"Shut up Tony, I'm taking you to Pepper."
"The laughter and the tears, the bedtime stories and the late night magic carpet rides."
Another chuckle. Another cough. Strong arms wrapped beneath Tony's form, picking him up, helping him to his feet.
"I can't fix this in an hour."
Blue eyes met brown.
"But I would give up my life just to see you smile one last time."
Silence.
Got you stuck on my body, on my body, like a tattoo.
Still supporting the younger, both arms around him, Steve pulled Tony into a kiss, lips crushing as eyes closed, emotion the only thing meshing faster than the tongues and the groan of pain as Tony put weight on his right foot.
"Fuck, fuck..."
"What have I done to you.."
Tony bowed his head, standing on his left foot, hand still pressed against his side.
"You reacted to my mistake. I deserved this pain."
Steve shook his head, but Tony lifted his other hand and silenced Steve with a finger to the lips.
"To match yours. Dont you ever tell anyone that I said that, because that is the most caring thing I've probably ever said, and no one is allowed to know. Not even Mr. Teddy."
Steve cracked a smile, thinking of the small teddy Tony had gifted him with the star spangled shirt. His eyebrows knitted again soon after, and he looked away, face downcast. Tony studied him desperately, lips parting in an effort to find words.
"Hey, hey..."
Fingers turned Captain America's chin so eyes could meet.
"You don't have to trust me anymore. You don't have to like me, love me... You don't have to be nice to me, you can leave me to die if you really want."
And now I'm feelin' stupid, feelin' stupid for crawling back to you.
An eyebrow raised above untrusting baby blues.
"I don't even know why I did it Steve. I got caught up in a fairytale, and I've been so busy with my suit experiments and you with Bruce and the serum, and I lost myself..."
Tony took in a deep breath, panting slightly from the pain. His fingers twitched.
"He was an old friend. And I allowed his cunning to get the better of me, and I know that shouldn't happen because I'm the smartest person you've probably ever met, but I guess, I guess I was just so entranced and lost and..."
Steve cleared his throat, barely able to listen.
"God damnit Tony."
"Dont swear, its unbecoming."
Steve blinked at his partner, stone-faced.
"I... It wasn't love, it was lust and it was an affair and the guilt afterwards and the fear and the painstaking thoughts running through my mind... like barbed wire trains... drilling everything into my mind deeper as they followed the tracks back and forth..."
Tony swallowed loudly, his eyes flickering from Steve to the ground and back again.
"I'm sorry. Truly."
I know I said it a million times.
Silence.
"Please Steve, let me prove to you that's not who I am. I'm your man. I'm your love, your hero..."
Voice pleading. Steve lifted his head to the sky.
"Tony."
"Steve."
Those eyes, Steve could barely look into them. Every type of comfort, every truth he'd come to know... Those eyes, they conveyed love, they conveyed honesty, and they conveyed guilt, so much guilt. Steve looked away, pulling Tony against him.
But I'll only stay with you one more night.
"Steve, ungh, a little tight."
Damn you Tony. Damn you for making me love you.
" I don't know... If I can just forgive you..."
He let go a little. Those eyes... Steve wanted Tony to stop using those eyes, they were like weapons, paralyzing.
" I understand."
Mutual silence, and in it Steve lifted Tony's arm behind his neck, helping the wounded limp in Pepper's direction; And while they moved he looked straight ahead, cursing Tony for using him and for forgetting him and for hurting him, for not being the perfect superhero Steve had always seen him as. He cursed him for allowing their relationship to get to this point, for not having the strength to open up to the soldier, for not having the strength to break a soldier's heart instead of tearing apart everything he'd ever known and relied on.
But more than anything, he cursed himself for giving in.
But baby there you go again, there you go again, Making Me Love You~