&1. False Pretences


Chapter Summary:In which Tony finally comes to bed on his own, but Steve still puts him to sleep.


Sunday 1st – 2:12am

Blinking slowly, eyes unseeing in the black of their bedroom, Steve didn't have to turn to know that he was alone in their bed.

He'd gone to bed at about 11 o'clock the previous night, and instead of dropping off relatively quickly, as was usual, Steve had tossed and turned, sleep evading him completely, until finally, he'd given in.

He'd spent the past 2 hours staring up at the black ceiling.

He wasn't 100% certain what was causing this sudden bout of insomnia, but thought that the complete lack of light was a probable cause – strange, considering that most people usually slept in the dark.

Steve however, was used to a subtle blue glow illuminating their dark room with muted rays.

He supposed that really, it wasn't the light he had trouble sleeping without, but its owner.

Turning, he sought out the button that lit up the neon glowing digits of his old style alarm clock; showing the time as 2:15am, and Steve sighed as he flung an arm up over his eyes, flopping down onto his back again.

By his count, it had only been 21 hours since Tony had last slept, not even a full day's work by the genius's' usual standards, and at least 16 hours short of Steve possibly being able to physically remove him from the lab and tote him off to bed.

It hadn't even been a long enough working binge for Tony to start mainline pure coffee properly, the genius ventured out every 6 or so hours- but Steve was still, not worried, but perhaps...uneasy.

It had been a long, long month – there had been two incidents that had called for an 'all-hands on deck' Avenger's response and numerous others that had required either the 'Tony Stark' charm, or Ironman's conflict resolution.

Tony had also been pulling stints of 35+ hours of insomnia repeatedly, catching a few hours sleep and then diving into the next 35 hour lab period, and Steve knew that the few hours his love was getting every couple of days, wasn't enough in the long run, and that a crash and burn was inevitable if he didn't do something soon.

And on top of all that, Steve was tired, and apparently he wasn't going to be able to sleep without Tony curled beneath him.


It wasn't just a matter of asking Tony to get some sleep -Steve knew he'd refuse adamantly; Tony had been nearly manic with his need to get his latest projects complete.

The Captain was sure that Tony would come to bed immediately if Steve told him that he was unable to sleep without him, but then Tony would no doubt start feeling guilty and worrying about the times in the future when he did have to be in the lab or away, so that was an absolute last resort.

He needed to convince Tony to come to him and then to stay, to sleep...

Slowly, a plan started to form.


JARVIS enabled communication patched him through to the basement labs and Steve put plan 'Bed Tony' into action.

"Tony?" he called, voice deliberately loud to startle through Tony's absorbed focus.

There was a beat of silence and then sound of something being dropped before Tony's preoccupied voice carried absently into their bedroom, "...Steve?"

The Captain smiled as he pictured Tony looking confusedly around his lab for the source of the voice, but easily able to hear the fledgling exhaustion in his lovers tone, he answered, "Yeah Sweetheart...I'm upstairs...come to bed?"

Tony's sigh wavered tentatively, as he obviously tried to formulate his refusal, "I'm fine for a while longer, it's only been a few hours...I – I really need to finish- and I'm- I'm not tired yet..."

The last was a blatant lie, or at least, it would have been had Tony was able to registered the fatigue that had built in his sleep starved body over the past few weeks.

Steve didn't try arguing, just lowered his voice to a velvety smooth 'come hither' murmur, repeating, "Tony...come to bed."

There was silence followed by a soft "Oh...Oh!" as Steve's meaning dawned on the engineer.

The sound of ruffling paper and soft footfalls accompanied Tony's parting sentence, his voice slightly breathless as he babbled, "Uh...I can – I guess I can spare an hour or so...yes...I'll be up – up- in just a minute..."

'Phase one complete'


'Now for phase two – the difficult part.'

It was slightly longer than a minute later, but Tony still made good time in his trek from the basement lab and their penthouse suite, slipping through the doors that silently opened to admit him.

Looking up as the door opened, Steve smiled from where he was seated on the edge of the bed. He blushed slightly and grinned at the steady gaze that traced his resplendently naked body from head to toe, but was pleased with the appreciative hunger he saw reflected from Tony's eyes.

Silently he held out a hand, and Tony padded towards him, fingers reaching out to clasp with his.

As soon as the genius was in reaching distance, Steve swiftly launched his attack, lifting Tony onto his lap and engulfing him in a tight embrace. His lover leant into his strength as his satisfied smile was smothered by Steve's demanding lips. Steve yanked Tony closer, plastering the smaller form completely flush against him, without a breadth of space separating them and deepened the kiss; his tongue seeking entrance and not relinquishing control.

Steve played dirty as he gently nipped Tony's' bottom lip, and licked the smarting area at his lovers scandalised yelp. His distraction worked and Tony admitted defeat gracefully, relaxing into a boneless pile of goo in Steve's arms as he allowed the man to soundly kiss him, a feat which the Captain gladly performed, plundering his sweet mouth unhindered, tongue tasting, exploring every inch of the delectable heaven.

Tony, thoroughly distracted, barely even noticed as Steve stripped him of his shirt and sweatpants, other than to whimper a complaint as their lips separated. A firm hand passed over his groin, and he bucked wildly, desperately seeking more contact, not caring about the chuckles he heard at his eagerness.

Steve gazed down adoringly at his lover, naked body relaxed languidly across most of his lap. The engineer easily trusting Steve's upper body strength to keep him from slamming headfirst to the floor, brown eyes dark with passion, small panting puffs escaping red swollen lips and high points of colour accenting the soft pale skin.

Steve, as always, was mesmerised by the sight of his lover.

Tony was so gorgeous, stunningly beautiful in the soft glow of the reactor, eyes huge and passion blown...and completely and utterly Steve's. The super soldier wanted nothing more than to continue down their avenue of love making; wanted to reduce Tony to a whimpering, exhausted wreck of longing, wanted to bask in the desire that constantly burned within him, and could see that was exactly what Tony wanted as well.

It was only the increasingly dark circles under brown eyes, and the subtle aura of heaviness that blanketed his lover that had Steve forcing himself to follow the plan.

Leaning back down to meeting the pouting lips in a series of small kisses, Steve trailed them in a wet path across the man's cheek and down his slender throat and across one bare shoulder, shifting them as he went, sliding Tony across to rest on his back on the bed, his own body looming over his lover's, propped up one arm as he returned to the warm, welcoming lips.

The kiss was hot, wet and sexy, Steve doing his utmost to prolong the low wanton moan that Tony was breathing into his mouth. He slid a heavy leg between warm thighs, Tony gasping and murmured his obvious approval.

And then, knowing he could easily lose control of the situation, Steve changed the direction of the kiss, lightening the press of his lips and gentling his tongue to a series of soft flick's and twists.

Tony, genius that he was, cottoned on quickly to what Steve was attempting to do and he hummed his disapproval, bucking his hips up, attempting to recreate the draining friction. Steve murmured a soft admonition against pouting lips and settled a little more of his weight against his lover, stifling his attempts to reignite the make-out session.

Tony's grumble of complaint became a resigned sigh of contentment when Steve, 'Tony Expert' that he was, sank long fingers into dark wavy hair, fingertips creating a slow massage against his scalp. Heated passion became languid, lingering warmth that soothed and calmed, and Steve knew he's made the right decision, when he caught the tail end of the contented sigh that spilt from kiss swollen lips and recognised the peaceful relaxation stealing into already drooping brown eyes.

Tony, because he was Tony, had to make sure Steve understood he was giving in under duress, softly protested, "Don't you go thinking, Mr smug, that I'm unaware of the false pretences you coaxed me up here under..."

Steve sniggered and pressed his lips ever so gently against Tony's, more of a peck than a kiss, a barely there hint...and then he did it again...and again. And because he was quite a bit wicked than most would believe of the naive golden boy, Steve leaned in close to Tony's ear, running the tip of his tongue along the extra sensitive shell, and sniggering at the sudden intake of breath as he dropped his voice to a husky, guttural rumble, whispering, "Tell you what...I'll make you an offer...You go to sleep now, and when you wake up... I'll fuck you right through this mattress..."

Steve snickered as his specially chosen, out of character words, did their intended duty. Tony shuddered beneath him, whimpering as his eyes crossed, and turned his face into Steve's chest as arousal blossomed though him.

Tony's voice was a muffled squeak as he replied, "Steve! I can't just...I mean – I'm right in the middle of fixi- I really have to pull the data across..."

Steve could tell by the way that Tony hadn't even made an attempt to move way that he'd already won; and that Tony was just having difficult coming to terms with that and trying to shut his overtired and caffeinated brain down.

Steve tucked him closer, fingers returning to their mesmerising massage through soft hair as he murmured, "It'll keep, love...JARVIS has got it..."

His other hand came up to rest in its familiar position over the arc –reactor, but tonight Steve gently rubbed his thumb across the small patch of reachable skin, in a steady and repeated sweeping motion.

Slowly the mutters of protest died out, and Tony sighed in passive acceptance, turning slightly into the warm of Steve's body, eyes closing in what appeared to be a blink that just didn't reopen, chest gradually rising and falling slower and slower.

Steve, feeling his own lack of energy now that phase two was successful, dropped his head down next to Tony's, pressing a kiss against warm skin as he closed his own eyes, thumb still rubbing its gentle path as he relaxed.

A smile of indulgent affection creased Steve's lips as his lover shifted against him, a garbled afterthought escaping Tony's mostly asleep mind in a half mumbled sentence, "Oh, and love? – I'll take your deal..." and then, between one breath and the next, they were asleep.


A/N - Please read and review!

I don't use a beta - it's just me, and while I do the best I can, mistakes inevitably escape my notice...so please, if you happen to notice a glaring spelling or grammatical error - let me know. Thanks.

And that's it folks, for 'Love Lies Sleeping'!

Thanks to all who read and a huge thanks to those who took the time to review!

I really hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing this 5&1.

Keep an eye out for more in this series soon!

Hope you enjoyed reading this little piece of sweetness as much as I enjoyed writing it.