Author: Mijacogeo
Title: An Oversight in the Education of Captain America
Universe: MCU
Characters: Steve/Tony (mild but present), the other Avengers, JARVIS
Words: About 2k
Rating: G
Summary: Tony realises that he has drastically failed in his effort to catch Steve up on 21st century entertainment. The other Avengers concur.
Warnings: None.
Author's Note: I have never written for the Avengers fandom before and may well never again but this wouldn't leave me alone after reading Chris Evans' tweet regarding Arrested Development.
"How did this happen!?"
"Tony, it's not that big of a-"
"No, stop right there! I mean, I'm supposed to be your friend – best friend, let's just get that out there - helping you adjust to the 21st century and then this?"
As soon as Clint walks into the living kitchen to see Tony waving his hands about melodramatically and the familiar 'I-don't-understand-why-like-you' expression on Steve's face, he was tempted to just do a smooth about face and head back out. Unfortunately, super hearing prevented the escape as pleading blue eyes snapped across to where he stood, quickly followed by a pair of brown, crazy eyes.
"Barton! Help me out here," Tony yelled, striding his way over to the archer and hauling him into the kitchen.
"I really don't wanna get involved in your little domestic, Stark," he replied, smirking as Tony rolled his eyes and Steve his shoulders, a funny little twitch he had developed in place of the blush that Tony had always teased him about.
"It's not a domestic, smart ass." Tony stood up straight, his face taking on a solemn expression that made Clint's stomach tighten just a tad. "Steve has never seen Arrested Development."
Steve scoffed at the ridiculousness of the delivery, like it was the end of the world. Then he saw the look of horror reflected on Clint's face and threw his hands up in the air in disbelief, "Oh, come on!"
"No, Steve, you don't understand," Clint said, shaking his head dazedly, "everyone has to see Arrested Development."
Just as he was about to protest, another voice piped up, "He's right, Cap." Everyone but Clint jumped, neither Tony or Steve having noticed that Natasha had joined them at some point. She made a grab for an apple from the largely decorative fruit bowl as she continued, "It's kind of a failure on Stark's part that he didn't think of it sooner."
Steve made to protest the accusation as Tony threw his hands up in defeat, "I know! I have no excuses. And if it hadn't been for Steve reading about the new movie, I still wouldn't have considered it."
He looked utterly dejected over something so menial, Steve didn't know what to do. "I don't have any plans now, maybe I can-" Before he even had a chance to finish the sentence, Tony's eyes had fixed on his getting the 'workshop' glint where he had just solved a problem and he practically threw himself out of his seat at the breakfast bar.
"Avengers assemble!" He yelled, to no particular effect as neither Clint, Steve or Natasha moved and no-one else was within earshot. This didn't seem to faze Tony however, as he strode his way into the living area. "JARVIS, queue up-" He stopped when he saw JARVIS was already ahead of him, the Arrested Development menu already on the big screen. He grinned. "No community college for you, sugarplum."
"I am overcome with relief, sir," the AI responded, dryly.
Tony ushered those in the kitchen into the living area while he continued communicating with his AI. "JARVIS, Bruce busy?"
"He is currently reading a book while awaiting results of an experiment in the lab, sir. Shall I connect you?"
"Sure, hook me up."
"Hey, Tony." Bruce's voice filled the living room where JARVIS' voice usually resonated.
"Bruce! Get your ass up here, team bonding time!"
"I know I have a tendency to get swept up in my work but I'm hoping it's not somehow Thursday already. Is it?"
"No, movie night is tomorrow. Impromptu education of one Steven Rogers."
"Ah," Bruce responded, as if that explained pretty much the majority of the conversation. "I'm monitoring this experiment, I don't think I should-"
"Cap's never seen Arrested Development."
There was a pause from the other end before, "I'll be right up."
Tony clapped his hands together in glee and smirked when he saw Steve throw his hands up in exasperation from the couch.
He went through the same process to get Thor out of the bath (the guy took obscenely long baths) and into the living area. He took much less persuading than Bruce, Tony not even needing to explain why his presence was even requested.
When he arrived with as much gusto as usual, he grinned at the sight of the screen. "Ah, we are preparing to watch the adventures of the family Bluth! A treat, indeed!" Steve just gaped as Thor made himself comfortable and Tony sat down next to him, shuffling as if he were preparing to be in for the long haul.
"Oh, shit," he said suddenly, trying to claw his way back out of the chair without much luck, "we don't have popcorn!"
"Popcorn's for movies, Tony," Steve said, an amused smile playing across his mouth. But Thor was already out of his seat and across to the popcorn machine. That man loved making popcorn more than he enjoyed eating it.
"Salty or sweet?" He bellowed from the kitchen.
Tony looked around at them, not having a preference himself. Bruce just shrugged, happy with either, Clint and Natasha both said salty and Steve said sweet at the same time before quickly changing it to salty so as not to be an inconvenience. Tony yelled back sweet anyway, missing the way
Clint and Natasha shared a smirk and Steve gave another roll of his shoulders.
Thor returned minutes later with seven boxes of popcorn and handed them out to everyone. Tony gave little thought to the extra box (both Steve and Thor had rather massive appetites) until something made him look across at Clint and his mouth fell open.
"I'm here for movie nights, Stark, doesn't matter if you change the day or if it happens to not actually be a movie," Coulson said, keeping a completely deadpan face while Clint was quite obviously trying to stop himself from dying laughing.
"But-! How did-? JARVIS?!"
"Agent Coulson arrived while you were conversing with Thor. He was sent a cellular communication from Agent Barton about your impromptu viewing and was advised to attend."
"Wha-?" Tony wanted to protest but he just couldn't find the words. It wasn't as if he minded Coulson being there, it was just the principle of the matter.
"I have to make sure you're not corrupting a national icon with your viewing choices." That was always the excuse he gave but Tony had come to realise that he was as much a part of the team as the rest of them, he had every right to be there regardless.
"Fine. Well, we're rocking some Arrested Development as Capsicle hasn't seen any yet," he said, as he had JARVIS cue the episode up once more. A raised eyebrow in Steve's direction was all the response he had to that but by Coulson standards, it was just as disappointed as everyone else's reaction. Steve was really beginning to wonder what was so special about this show…
It only took them just under a week to get through all 53 episodes. Sometimes it was all seven of them, other times it was just Steve and Tony. On the night of the final episode, Tony made sure everyone was present.
"It's been a crazy ride, team," he started, Steve rolling his eyes fondly at the exaggerated reverence with which he spoke, "but, like all good things, it must come to an end. The final episode please, JARVIS."
Tony took his usual place beside Steve while everyone else settled in. Steve was surprisingly sad, knowing that this was the last episode ever made. He had enjoyed the show far more than he had anticipated and strangely found a parallel between the Bluth family and the people he had found himself with in this new time. Not necessarily by characters but as a unit, at least. The Bluth family had their difference, major differences, and they clashed often because of it but they were still a family and they still looked out for and cared about each other no matter what. It made Steve see just how special what he had found was.
He had often complained at Tony for using his phone or his tablet while he was socialising but he figured he could get away with it just this once as he snatched his custom made Stark tablet from the coffee table, typed a short message and put it back again.
What he didn't expect was for Tony's phone to suddenly ping rather obnoxiously and for Tony to immediately turn to frown at Steve, then at the tablet and back at Steve before fishing his phone out of his pocket to look at the notification. His eyes skimmed it quickly and his face broke into a grin before he had a chance to school it into something more neutral.
Steve didn't understand how all technology worked (and he was pretty sure Tony abused a lot of the usual functions anyway) but he wasn't stupid and he could guess what had just transpired.
"You're on Twitter?" He asked, trying to keep the embarrassment out of his voice.
Tony looked practically affronted as he replied, "'Course not! Nothing I have worth saying – which is obviously everything - could even fit in 140 characters!" Steve huffed a laugh at that, it was probably true, damn the man. "That doesn't mean that I don't have your Twitter updates sent directly to my phone," he continued, with a wink.
Steve gave up fighting the blush, hoping the darkened room would be his saving grace. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," Tony said, his tone light but ringing with sincerity. "A great error has now been rectified."
Steve laughed again, watching as the credits went by for the last time. "Maybe," Steve said, "but there's still the error of you not letting me watch the other three Star Wars films like I keep asking."
"Oh hell, no." It was Clint that chimed in that time and Tony pointed at him, showing his solidarity with that comment. "Sorry, Cap, but no-one in this tower is going to let you see those movies."
"So I've understood. Even JARVIS. Hey, JARVIS?"
"Yes, Captain Rogers."
"Can you please put The Phantom Menace on the main screen?"
"I am sorry, Captain. My coding shows that I am to and I quote 'never let Steve get his sinfully gorgeous hands on any of the Star Wars prequels, I swear to god'."
Absolute silence reigned over the living area as Steve coughed tightly, "He's uh, he's never worded it quite that way before."
Tony's mouth was agape while everyone (except Coulson who was just glaring at the man in question) was trying inadequately to keep from laughing.
"Well. Community college it is," Tony stated before forcing himself to a standing position and just disappearing out of the room.
Steve knew there was no point going after him right then, but rather than leave Tony to work himself up into a snit Steve quickly said, "JARVIS, do you remember what I said when I came home from the charity function last month? The first thing I said when I came through the door?"
"I have it within my archive, yes sir."
"Tell him."
"Of course, sir."
There was a pause as the message was relayed and a sudden burst of breathless laughter sailed its way from down the stairs up to them and Steve smiled smugly to himself. They'd talk about it tomorrow but at least they were now on equal footing.