Experimental Research

"Thanks for coming down." The dark-eyed man opened the door, the glaring light from the room a shock at first. White walls, floor, everything… except the stainless steel tools and computer equipment, of course. Steve followed the man in, blinking away the bright-spots that obscured his vision.

"Hey, no problem, what can I do you for?" Tony paused mid-stride before continuing his route. Odd.

"I need your help with some research."

"You said that earlier. What kind of research?"

"Well it's been something that has been asked for a long time, and we're going to solve this mystery." Tony turned to look the other man in the eye, "have you heard of a Tootsie Pop?"

"What?"

"A Tootsie Pop. A brand of lollipop that-"

"Tony!" The blonde barked, "I know what a Tootsie Pop is!"

"Alright then." He grinned, "'How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?' That is the mystery we'll be solving today."

"Tony, I realise that perhaps I've indulged you too much, but this is ab-"

"See this?" He cut off the other, holding up a lollipop, "This is the offending lollipop."

He began to unwrap it carefully, "I was concerned about one major factor which you could help me with."

The Captain looked at him sceptically, "Which is?"

The other man had a complete poker face, bringing the lollipop up to his lips.

"Should we use short licks…" He demonstrated, tongue swiping across the top of the Tootsie Pop, "Or longer licks?"

He demonstrated this again, maintaining eye contact as his tongue swirled around the lollipop. Steve stared at him, completely entranced. Did he realise what Tony was doing? Yes. Was he upset? Not terribly. Tony had never been so… forward before. They hadn't even done much beyond making out either. It was clear that the ex-playboy wanted more in the very near future. Steve was getting more and more uncomfortable, and he could see a faint tick on the corner of Tony's mouth – like he was trying not to smile.

"Tony… Why do you need to know what kind of lick to use?"

"Well if people use longer licks it could take fewer… Oh no." He looked quite crest-fallen.

"What could possibly be wrong now?"

"I forgot about sucking!"

"…What?"

Tony finally broke into a smile, unable to contain himself before seductively licking and taking the whole lollipop into his mouth, eyelids lowering slightly.

Oh god.

"Tony?"

"Mmn?" He looked up, still working dutifully on the lollipop, completely engrossed. This was doing nothing for the growing discomfort in Steve's pants.

"Stop that."

"Embarrassed?" Tony grinned as he slipped the lollipop out of his mouth. "We're all alone, and you're embarrassed?"

There was a pause as this sunk in.

"You decided to win me a giant stuffed animal at the fair, around hundreds of people, and you can't handle a little innuendo while we're alone?"

"I-I'm not used to this Tony!" The blonde huffed, "We don't… we don't do innuendo."

From his time. From the time where homosexuality was not something one could explain without fear of being beaten to death. His best friend had been gay, from what Tony gathered. Arnold… Arnold Roth? Yes that was it. Steve didn't care about that, he recalled, saying that his friend's love was pure or something…

"Would you rather I jump you now?"

"…Right here?"

"Ooo aren't we kinky? A lab though?"

"TONY!"

A/N: Also on my deviantART account: Ryu-Vampiress

Still not polished, but I like it how it is.

The teddy bear? Based off this; ryu-vampiress[dot]tumblr[dot]com/post/11687506284