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Challenges listed at the bottom.
Word Count - 586
A Terrible Influence
Steve stepped into the bathroom to see Tony sitting on the edge of the bath, watching the red, white and blue bath bomb dissolve into the water.
"Hey you," he murmured, stepping forward to stand at Tony's back, his hands resting on Tony's shoulders. "Pepper warned me that you'd had a bad day."
Tony leant back against Steve and tilted his head to look up at him. "I was surrounded by idiots the whole day, Steve. The whole day. I think I actually felt my IQ slipping out of my ear along with the mush my brain turned into."
Chuckling at Tony's dramatics, Steve leant down to press a kiss to Tony's lips. "Do you want me to leave you to your bath?"
Tony scowled. "When do I ever not want you naked? It's like you don't even know me!"
Steve glanced to the side to see two fluffy grey towels on the heated rack waiting, and realised that Tony had never intended to bathe alone.
The taps switched off, and Tony stood up, stripping with efficiency while Steve did the same.
Steve climbed into the water first, the heat blissful on his muscles. He'd spent much of the last few hours in the gym while he waited for Tony to come home, so a relaxing bath was practically his idea of heaven at the moment.
Tony climbed in after, settling himself down between Steve's legs, his back pressed to Steve's stomach as he relaxed back against him.
Steve loved that Tony was smaller than him for this reason. He fit against Steve so perfectly, and Steve loved that he could wrap him up entirely in his arms, holding him close and able to keep him safe.
"This is perfect," Tony murmured. "Did you like your bath bomb, by the way? It's not as glittery as the Iron Man one, but I think it's a nice swirl of colours."
Steve grinned and pressed a kiss to the side of Tony's head. "It not being glittery is probably a good thing. Nat and Clint teased me about the glitter for days after we used the Iron Man one."
"Better than the khaki green they made Bruce's in," Tony pouted. "They really need to get that colour better, it's awful! Hulk isn't khaki!"
"Clint is still annoyed that there isn't a Hawkeye one," Steve commented with a smirk.
"It's in production," Tony admitted, glancing up at Steve. "It's a purple glittery abomination that I'm sure the asshole will be horrified with. I can't wait."
Steve rolled his eyes and settled lower in the water, making sure that Tony's head was kept far enough up to stop any panic. He still struggled on some days to submerge his head in water; a leftover trigger from Afghanistan.
"I know we were supposed to be going out tonight, but can we stay in," Tony asked, voice low and relaxed now. "Order some food, watch a movie?"
"Sounds perfect, sweetheart," Steve replied tiredly, the water lulling him. "You know neither of us is going to make it to the end of a movie, right?"
Tony laughed. "At least let me pretend I'm not an old man, dammit, Steve."
"Hmm, you're not old. Perfectly aged, perhaps."
"You're giving me terrible habits, Steven. Don't think I don't see you."
"Sleeping, eating, relaxing… you're right," Steve agreed. "I'm a terrible influence on you."
Tony closed his eyes and turned his head to press a kiss against Steve's chest. "As long as you're aware of it."
Written for:
North Funfair: Petting Zoo: Elvis the Elephant: Petting: Grey
East Funfair: Yuletide: Step 2 - 9. Taking a Bath
South Funfair: Night Before Christmas: Step 2: 9. Marshmallows: Fluff
365: 331. Dissolve