Chapter 4

Steve was getting frustrated. His cellphone kept making noise. It wouldn't stop for anything. He was trying to control his anger, but it was starting to get to be too much. This week had been horrible. The worst in a long time. He been tossed around in the last mission. During an interview as Captain America, a reporter asked him what he did for a real life job. He had explained that he had only been a soldier. Which was good, but then the papers made it out like he had no other talents. That he was just another stupid man trying to be a hero. They even compared his old time fighting style with Iron Man's brash and up front attitude. He tried to ignore it, but they had just made it even more clear that he was not where he was suppose to be. That his old fashioned ways were not a part of this time.

Then if that wasn't bad enough, he had started dating this lovely girl. She was brunette, with deep brown eyes and intelligent. Tony had warned him, aggressively, to be careful. But he hadn't listened. He thought he was fine, that he had kept his secret identity under lock and key. But when she started to ask to come over to his place, started making backwards comments about his strange schedule and the like, he had began to wonder. It wasn't until Natasha dropped a folder on the kitchen counter and slid it across the table to him, did he realize his mistake. Tony had been right. The woman he had been dating for the last three weeks had been obsessed with Captain America. Had hunted down everything about him before finding him conveniently in the coffee shop across the street from the tower. He had thought nothing of meeting her. He had been getting Tony coffee since they were out. The last thing he had expected was a stalker to come up to him while he was order Tony an extra tall, extra strong black coffee.

But as he flipped through pictures of the woman's home, which was wall to wall Captain America things, and read the three page article she wrote about him he realized just how little he knew about this time. It served to remind him, once again, he was out of his element. He stopped seeing her. Yet, he knew that she had already sold the story to the highest bidder. His secret identity was gone. His freedom and ability to just be Steve Rogers was gone. He move his arm back to slam the phone into the wall.

He threw it or thought he did. There was no sound of it hitting the wall. He looked and realized he didn't have it in his hand to throw it. He whirled around when he heard a tutting sound behind him. There stood Tony, wearing his typical AC-DC shirt and plain jeans. In his hand was Steve's phone. Steve stared at the man, mouth a gaped. How had Tony done that? Took the phone from him without him knowing. Tony gave him a small grin.

"Most people forget I am an engineer with dexterous fingers and the ability to slip screws out of tight spots easily. Taking this out of the hands of a super solider gone mad, child's play. Well almost. So whats up Cap? What's got you so….riled up?" Tony asked in a casual tone as he spun the phone around and effortlessly ended the sound that was coming from the phone. Steve stared at the phone, another reminder of how much Tony belonged in this world while he did not. He balled this hands into fists.

"I…I can't keep doing this. I am tried of being an outsider. I am tired of this fast pace world I have to live in." He said in a snarl. Tony looked taken back for a moment before he set the phone down on the side table. He walked up to the distressed Captain. He grabbed the man's forearms, staring at him.

"Why do you feel like an outsider, Steve?" Tony asked in a soft tone. Steve was taken back by the usage of his name. He floundered for a moment. Tony was asking him to explain why he felt like an outsider? That made no sense. Tony couldn't see it for himself? Was this some kind of torture technique.

"What do you-" He stopped and gritted his teeth, stopping himself from lashing out at Tony. He took a deep breath and remembered what he was told. He stared at Tony before he followed his instincts on this one. He shrugged off Tony's hands, not missing the hurt look that crossed the man's face, before he yanked Tony into a hug. He needed something, someone solid. He held Tony in the depths of his arms. He felt Tony stiffen before relaxing into the hug, wrapping his arms around Steve's waist. Steve did not know what the protocol on hugs were, but he felt himself calming down. He had Tony there in his arms.

"I can't get my phone to work, you and everyone else can do it effortlessly. I ended up dating a stalker, which you warned me about. The press seems out to get me, yet you handle it with ease. I don't fit in... anywhere." He muttered against Tony's shoulder. He did not want to let go for some reason. Tony patted his lower back before moving back a little bit and stared up at Steve.

"Steve. Listen to me. Sure, all those things are bad. But it is a good thing, not fitting in. I never fit in. It is only recently that I gained friends that I can trust. You are defined as 'old-fashioned' but that is not a bad thing. Especially in this disposable world. You have values, morals and goals. Those are not bad things Steve. It means you will be able to find true love one day and know that is actually love. While the rest of us poor saps will settle for half of that." Tony said, rubbing Steve's arms soothingly. Steve stared at Tony, who bore a self deprecating smile. Steve let out a sigh and yanked Tony back into his arms for another hug. He knew Tony was trying to make him feel better. And he kind of did. Who was he to argue with a genius.

"That still doesn't help me with the phone and the constant confusion." Steve muttered against Tony's hair. He did not know why he kept holding onto Tony. He figured it was because he needed to hold onto someone and Tony was there. Plus, if the man was affection starved it seemed like it would be no problem for Tony if he just gave into his desire to hold someone. Plus who else could he do this to? No one. No one but Tony.

"I can help with that Steve. I can upload a version of JARVIS into your phone so all you have to do is give it voice commands and it will do what you want it to. I can even make it so that if you have any question, JARVIS can answer it for you. You don't have to try and figure everything out for yourself Steve. I can help you. You know that out of everyone in the world, I know how to help you." Tony was still cocky, but there was an undertone of pleading. It was strange, but ever since that conversation, he felt like he could almost hear what Tony wasn't saying. In this case it was almost like he was scared of something. There was bit of fear in Tony's eyes when he pulled away again. Steve tilted his head to one side before asking in a soft tone.

"Tony….tell me why you are scared?" Tony looked startled and struggled to get out of Steve's arms. But Steve held fast, not wanting Tony to run from this. Whatever this was.

"I am not scared. I am just trying to help." Tony said, pushing back against Steve's chest. Steve pulled back, making Tony's elbows collapse into his chest.

"Tony." His tone was firm, but he kept his expression soft. He wanted Tony to trust him. He knew he messed up but here Tony was, once again, trying to help him. The least he could do was help Tony. Tony looked at him, almost as if he was taking the man apart before he stepped closer and hid himself in Steve's chest. Steve was a little taken back by all this touching between men. Or rather he was more taken back by how willing Tony was to be this close to him. Steve always hid the fact he was attracted to men from everyone save Bucky. But Tony was overtly heterosexual. Hell the man said himself, that he was a playboy.

"I do not like hearing about those closest to me having problems that I can fix. To hear you say you don't fit in, is unnerving because it makes me wonder if you will leave one day." Tony said in a muffled tone. Steve pat Tony's shoulders, figuring this came from the fact that Howard had been less than a perfect father and the abandonment issues Tony had. He finally got around to reading Tony's file. It was as enlightening as the conversation with the other Avengers.

"I….am not going anywhere Tony. You and the other Avengers have become like my family. I just…don't know how to handle things of this world like everyone else. It gets to me sometimes." Steve said, feeling Tony's arms flex around his waist. He chuckled a bit, a bitter sound. "Plus I won't get any peace if I leave, especially once that article hits the stands."

Tony tensed again before pulling back looking confused for a moment. Then a second later, it seemed to click. The brunette gave him a cocky grin.

"Come now, Capsicle. Surely you don't think I or even Natasha would allow anyone but you to reveal your secret identity, do you? After quite a bit of money and some….words with Natasha the story seemed to have vanished." He said with a grin. Tony pulled back, this time Steve let him, and patted him on his arms again.

"Good talk Cap, now I got some work to do on this phone of yours. I will see you later." Tony said, making a very obvious retreat. Steve stood there for a moment, realizing what just happened. He found he kinda of….liked having Tony in his arms. It was like the one place he knew he could keep the man safe. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and went off to grab a sketch book. He figured that if he sketched what was on his mind in this moment, he could figure out what he was feeling in those moments of holding Tony.