Steve sat still and silent in the darkened room, the watch lying on his nightstand telling him that it was 3am in the newly founded Avengers Tower. 3am and the streets of New York below him still full of light, he was sure there was never this many people or this much light in his too familiar 1940s home.
He choked up again, plagued by his failure at adjustment, his need for familiarity, his guilt over Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, which relighted every time he closed his now moist blue eyes. Sipping from his usual glass of water he mumbled 'dammit don't cry' to himself, defeated when he did finally let a tear roll down his cheek.
Sighing he got up and closed the blinds. If he could not sleep he might as well train, it's all I'm good for anyway he thought to himself. Finding the gym came easy, it was becoming his equivalent to Church, far too soon for anyone's liking. Picking up a punching bag and bandaging his hands he began beating the 1940's out of him, determined to at least be able to sleep in this new world where everything seems so trivial.
Tony Stark was the definition of trivial as far as Steve Rodgers was concerned. He could not believe that man was his friend, Howard Stark's son, his friend Howard Stark, he laughed, some friend, stealing that moment. Too often, did Steve notice missing Scotch, or hear bangs of tools at ungodly hours, how could he ever think the man of metal as anything but. Still something about Tony was important to Steve, be it his amazing mind, far beyond the super soldier's, his likeliness to Howard, or just his shocking acts in the first mission. Something about Tony Stark made him the one thing Steve cared about in this maddening world and he could not escape the Star Spangled Man's thoughts no matter how many punch bags Steve hit.
A bag hit the floor with a crash as Tony leaned against the doorframe, goggles on his head and wearing oil stained sweatpants, a sweat-soaked tank top showing his biceps in all their glory and still holding a hammer. "You know most people sleep at 5am Steve, you should try it."
Steve almost snorted at the irony, wrapping a towel around his neck and looking up. "That's rich coming from you." He moved over on the bench unintentionally offering Tony a seat.
"I know, but this is the fifth night in a row, what's on your mind?" Tony urged, unsure why he even cared. So what if some experiment was malfunctioning? Tony thought to himself, assigning himself a duty as genius philanthropist to fix Steve. Besides, it's his mansion, he can interrogate who he wants. Did Steve need any interrogation? No, it was mere minutes before Steve was rambling on about the 40's and Bucky, and Peggy, even Howard, much to Tony's distaste.
Once Steve seemed to settle into what seemed a weak, shaking calm Tony offered him a shoulder to rest against and decided Steve wasn't an experiment, but that he was still going to fix this. After a long silence and a few weak mumbles from Steve did inspiration hit Tony; "Dad- Howard, he said you liked art, we can go to a museum. It might offer you that familiarity plus I would love to see the Star Spangled Mans impression of post modernism."
"Post- What?" Steve asked, genuinely interested in Tony's suggestion.
"You'll see soon enough." Tony replied with a grin, sure he'd done something right as Steve rose and nodded to Tony.
"Coffee? Do you want any, maybe we could make a date for the museum?" Steve asked putting on a smarter shirt than the one he worked out in, Tony blinking in slight confusion.
"A date?"
Then it hit Steve, "Hey, why don't we invite Thor or Bruce, maybe Natasha, she'd like art!" Steve rambled, again trying to assure Tony he did not mean -that- type of date. Tony laughed, as Steve blushed wondering why Cap was so determined to make sure it was not -that- kind of date. They soon parted after Steve made coffee strong and black, not his intention but it had only been a month, and hey even Bruce cannot work that damn machine.
Three weeks later and after somewhat improved sleep Steve woke and addressed JARVIS asking for the time and what the weather was like. This was all he could rely on the voice to answer, not because JARVIS would not know anything else, but because he didn't yet trust technology. He still looked at his precise and always accurate watch for the date. August 7th 2012, the day of their museum visit, with the eccentric Tony Stark. Showering and washing his nightmares of Bucky's death away, he got out on a shirt and smart trousers before getting coffee and sitting in their shared lounge to polish his shoes.
Tony Stark rose from his bed a full hour later, showering, hung-over but wanting to help the Cap. He dressed in an ACDC shirt and suit jacket having asked JARVIS what Steve was in, not wanting to embarrass the poor guy. Entering the lounge, he found Steve engrossed in an article about the Iraq war. "It says Stark industries weapons are being used by the enemy." Steve said accusingly before Tony had a chance to even glance at the paper.
"It's old tech Steve, I'd never- I'm not in that business anymore." He stumbled over his words as he looked at Steve guilt painting him a horrid shade of white.
"So, what business are you in?" Steve retorted a sad look on his face.
"I deal in sustainable energy. I used to make weapons, yes, but that was before I almost- almost got killed by my own tech."
Steve swallowed hard turning the same pale shade. "I'm sorry Tony, I shouldn't have-"
"You didn't know. Come on Capsickle, I've gotta put up with this museum, I wanna at least do it with my buddy" He grinned, normality resumed. Steve nodded going to wash his bowl but Tony tugged him out of the door before he could turn the water on.
Steve and Tony wandered around the museum broken down into periods, Steve taking true interest and noting down intricate details as Tony followed occasionally nodding and so grateful for coffee. They hit 1950's with a sudden stop by Steve who looked slightly panicked but Tony took the lead, "Art went wacky here Cap, trust me" and Steve followed staring at some pieces with curiousity and interest others with disgust; "People say this is art now? In my- It's just a mess" Steve said facing a chained off bedroom covered in tissues, used condoms and other things the Cap would never mention, never mind call art. Tony found this hilarious of course and by the time the disgust had left Steve's face the tour had ended and they were sat outside eating pretzels as Tony mimicked Steve. Soon finding there no tension between them, but something else, something much greater. "So this a good date Spangles?" Tony chimed, as Steve spat out his water, lacking any dignity the Captain was supposed to have.
"A- A date! But... we're both- I-" the way Steve turned a shade of red confirmed at least one of Tony's thoughts either a) Steve was a virgin, a very naive and or incompetent virgin, or b) Steve had a crush on Tony.
"Steve?" Tony said, leaning back on the stairs, the bright 'A' of Avengers tower visible against the darkening sky. "You've, you've been with a woman right?" What followed was to Steve both humiliating and a relief. Steve took a breath before answering "I loved a woman. But no I've never- I just- Bucky got the girls and it was a different time and..." Steve trailed off as a sad smile came to Tony's face.
"So, you've never kissed a girl?" Apparently it was time for Steve to list all one women he had kissed, men however where a different matter, but still he had kissed one but that was not something he would admit to the Stark man any time soon. Tony was gobsmacked at Steve's small number, but didn't let him know this, he didn't want Steve to know that Tony thought of him in the shower, or when he's fucking some woman, God, especially not if Steve-
"So, do you ever..." Tony coughed, "Here's a question for our walk back- men can marry men in New York now. Thoughts?" Tony stood offering Steve a hand up before they took a long slow walk to the Avengers Tower which Steve had now grown accustomed to calling home, Tony listening to Steve's internal debate on gay marriage as they walked, hands almost touching and Tony certain Steve would be in his thoughts tonight.
Tony grunted stroking his average-in-size but huge-in-talent cock hard before he spilt all over himself, wet hot juice coating his skin as he groans imagining the famous Captain America desecrating him, his lips tingling as he pictures Steve's kisses, powerful and deep get somehow delicate as if they could shatter. Tony pants hard as he sees stars, eyes shut, dreaming of his teenage fantasy teasing him wanting again immediately but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Pepper never knocks.
"Ughh?" Tony groans trying to cover his indecency.
"It's Steve, can I come-" the door flew open before Steve finished, clearly having put too much weight on it as the hinges fell to the floor with it, Steve falling on his face giving Tony a moment to cover himself, "I'll- I'll fix that, Tony I- I think it's good. Homosexual marriage is okay, its fair equal, and if they love, then… I should support it." Tony's face lit up slightly before turning to his sarcastic self.
"And you just had to break my house to tell me?"
"No and I'll fix it... I wanted to ask- how- how would a gay couple consummate their marriage?" The words tumble out of Steve's mouth as he turns red, Tony was sure Steve had a crush now, looking at the bulge in his pants and the flushed face he presents to Tony.
"Well ugh, you know what women and men have and don't have? Well to make a- uhh replacement for what a women has a man would- You know Steve this is what the internet is for! JARVIS can you please Google 'gay sex' for Steve and... Order some tissues." Steve looks at Tony like a kicked puppy as soon as JARVIS chimes 'Google search complete Mr Rodgers, the results are in your room, I will guide you through navigation if necessary.' Tony watched full of guilt as Steve wanders out of Tony's room embarrassed and ashamed. "Fuck, since when did getting laid become that hard." Tony moans to himself, tired and wanting more than anything to slam Steve to the bed and teach him gay sex himself, but knowing he has to go at Steve's pace if he wants any of this to last.
