Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise.
Challenges Listed at the Bottom
Word Count: 645
Good Things
"Why would you do this to me?" Tony asked, pouting as he gave Rhodey and Pepper the puppy eyes.
(They had a seventy percent success rate with Rhodey, but not so much with Pepper.)
Pepper rolled her eyes. "Cut the attitude, Tony Stark. You're acting like Garfield on a Monday."
Tony snorted. "Well, he does love lasagne. But also, I really don't want to do this. If I wanted my portrait done, I'd have Steve do it."
"It's not for a portrait, Tones," Rhodey replied. "It's… we thought it would be a way for you to meet new people. You're spending all your time either alone or with the team, and—"
"We're worried about you," Pepper finished, softening her tone. "I know you have a—"
"I do not," Tony said, shaking his head before she even managed to say the word 'crush'.
"You do so," Rhodey said, laughing.
Tony lay his head on the table. With friends like this, he was doomed.
"Just… go do the thing," Rhodey added. "What harm can it do?"
Tony picked his head up just enough to glare. "You had to jinx me even more didn't you?"
Pepper stood up and rounded the table to kiss his cheek. "Good luck," she murmured. "And don't fuck it up."
"I hate you."
"Love you too, Tones."
…
Tony walked into the art studio ten minutes late—he tried to be on time, he really did, but he was a certified disaster, so he figured at least it was only ten minutes instead of hours—and then froze at the door.
"Steve?"
Captain America turned around slowly, and then flushed pink when he realised it was Tony.
"What are you doing here?" they both said, and then chuckled together.
"Pepper signed me up," Tony offered with a shrug, putting his hands in his pockets. "If she'd known it was you—"
"I didn't put a second name on the ad," Steve replied softly. "Didn't want people to come just because I'm, well, me."
Tony nodded. "Do you uh, want me to go or…"
Steve shook his head. "No, of course not. Unless you're not comfortable with me painting you."
Tony scoffed. "When Pepper first told me, I told her if I wanted a portrait, I'd have you do it, so I'm good. Where do you want me?"
The blush that had been dying on Steve's cheeks flared up again, and he stuttered a little before he gestured Tony to the seat he already had ready for him. It was a velvet chaise, and Tony was pleased with how comfy it was, which was probably a good thing given he didn't know how long he'd be there.
"Ready?" Steve asked, when he'd arranged Tony how he wanted him, and Tony smiled.
"Do your thing, Steve."
…
Tony blinked his eyes open a few hours later to see Steve watching him with fondness in his eyes.
"Uh."
"You talk in your sleep," Steve said softly. "It's adorable."
Tony winced. "What did I say?"
"You seemed quite enamoured by a puppy," Steve replied, chuckling. "And then… and then you said, you said you love me. Is that… is that true?"
Tony thought for a moment of waving it off, saying that of course he loved Steve, they were friends and teammates, but… there was something in Steve's eyes that gave Tony hope that his feelings might not actually be as unrequited as he'd thought.
"I… yeah, it's true. I didn't… I didn't wanna make anything awkward, or make you feel like—"
"I love you too," Steve interrupted, his lips tilting up in a smile. "Will you go on a date with me?"
Tony nodded slowly. "You know you don't have to wine and dine me right?"
"You deserve good things, Tones," Steve replied softly. "I'd like to be one of those good things."
"You're already a great thing, Steve."
Written for:
They Said What?: 27. "Good luck and don't fuck it up."
Resolution Evolution: 3. Write a fic with the scenario: Character A signs up to be a model/muse for an artist(s), only to find out the artist(s) is Character B/C.
Auction: Day 18, Auction 2: "Cut the attitude, [full name]. You are acting like Garfield on a Monday."
365: 60. Table