A continuation of Pet's and Vet's. One-shot. Can be read as a stand-alone. Enjoy!
Steve had been waiting for almost fifteen minutes. He'd been so nervous all day, about everything from being late to the food being bad or Tony leaving halfway through the date. Because of this, he chose to arrive at the restaurant ten minutes early, so that he at least wouldn't be there too late. He'd ordered water while he waited, sipping at it every other minute.
He'd called Tony a few days prior making plans for them to meet up at one of Steve's favourite restaurants in Brooklyn. It wasn't too fancy—Steve's uneven artist salary couldn't afford fancier—but they served great food. Besides Steve was familiar with the place, so he would feel more relaxed meeting there than he'd do most other places.
Once he sat down though he realised being this early maybe hadn't been his greatest plan. He wasn't any less nervous, just feeling the same way as before but now in public. Still, he had hoped for the first few minutes that maybe Tony would be early too. Now, five minutes past the time they were supposed to meet, Steve realised that wasn't the case.
Every second that ticked over the time they'd planned made Steve squirm a bit more in his chair. What if Tony had forgotten? They had only planned it a few days ago—and met over a full week ago—so maybe he'd forgotten? Or what if he hadn't forgotten but just decided to not show up? What if Tony wasn't even queer, realised Steve had asked him out on a date and bailed? Wouldn't be the first time.
Steve started chewing on his index fingernail unconsciously, while his left knee jumped up and down under the table. He shouldn't have been there so early.
Steve's train of thoughts was interrupted when he heard someone walk towards his table with quick strides. The restaurant was quite crowded, so the waiters rushed back and forth between tables all the time. But Steve's table for two was—thankfully—off to the side.
"Hey, sorry I'm a little late. I left the house on time, I swear, but then Rhodey called and-" Tony talked so fast Steve could barely catch what he was saying. He smiled up at him though, feeling relieved that Tony hadn't forgotten their date.
"It's okay," Steve interrupted Tony's rambling. "It's only been a few minutes-"
"Six-" Tony butted in.
"-and I'm in no rush," Steve smiled reassuringly at Tony. "Let's just sit down and look at the menu. They have great tandoori chicken here if you're into that."
Tony sent him a relieved smile before sitting down on the other side of the table. Steve let his eyes roam over Tony. He was dressed in a nice, bright red, button-down shirt with black slacks. His black coat hanging over the back of the chair. Steve wondered how Tony managed to look so dressed up and yet so casual at the same time. It was truly a great outfit for a restaurant like this. Steve had also worn a button-up—a blue one, he could never pull off red like Tony, he'd only end up with pinkish looking skin—and a pair of brown slacks. Somehow he just felt like he couldn't pull it off the same way Tony did.
"Do you often come here?" Tony asked looking around the room. "It's very nice. I love the smells coming from the kitchen."
"Yes, I've gone here since I was a child," Steve said fondly. "My mom used to bring me here when we celebrated something. Birthdays for example."
Steve remembered his tenth birthday. They had only eaten at this restaurant if they could afford it—which meant not every birthday. However, the weeks before Steve's tenth birthday his mom worked double shifts so they'd be able to have a good dinner there. She said that turning ten was a big thing, and at the time Steve couldn't argue with that. They'd even been able to buy a small dessert because of her savings. Steve would never forget how good the ice cream with chocolate sauce had tasted as it melted on his tongue. Of course, the restaurant still had ice cream on the menu, but it just didn't taste the same way he remembered it.
"That sounds nice," Tony answered with a genuine smile. "I guess I'll have to order that tandoori chicken you recommend then. You seem to have a history with this place."
Steve smiled back before waving at a waiter. He ordered two tandoori chicken and a bottle of wine. He wasn't that good at choosing wine, but Tony seemed satisfied enough when he took a test sip.
"I really am sorry for being late," Tony said. "It's a bad habit of mine. It's getting better. To be honest it's kinda hypocritical that Rhodey was the one wasting my time. He always complains when I'm late."
"It's okay," Steve said. "I was just worrying maybe you'd… forgot?"
"Our date? No. God, no," Tony said. "I could never forget a date with such a hottie as you."
Tony winked and took another sip of his wine. Steve blushed bright red, not knowing what to say.
"I- Well-" he stammered.
Tony put his glass down, eyes roaming over Steve with a searching look. Steve stared back not knowing what to say at Tony's compliment. He wasn't the best when it came to flirting back. Then Tony frowned, which made Steve's stomach twist. Had he offended Tony?
"This is a date right? I know you said dinner 'as thanks' but I kinda got the vibe- Or, well, I assumed-" Tony said, for the first time of the night sounding unsure.
Steve cut him off, shaking his hands and waving his arms clumsily, "No, no. I meant it as a- You know, a date."
Steve swallowed. Tony had only been unsure they were on the same page. Which they were. Steve was just awkward as fuck. He could almost punch himself for being so awkward. He hadn't dated in a while, being busy with his job, not finding someone he wanted to ask out and all that. He just hoped Tony would give him a chance anyway.
Tony smiled back at him, all tension gone in a flash, "Okay, good."
And that was that. Their food arrived and they continued making small talk. Steve told Tony that he was an artist, which apparently impressed Tony. He forced Steve to promise him that he'd show Tony some of his works sometime. Steve always felt shy when it came to talking about his art, but he saw Tony's comment for what it was. An invitation for another date. Steve felt a bit more at ease after that.
Halfway into their meal, after a pause in their conversation, Tony spoke.
"Tell me Steve- Wait, is that short for something?" Tony asked taking another bite.
"It's short for Steven," Steve said with a smile.
"Okay, so. Tell me, Steven," Tony said, leaning over the table slightly, "do you take all your vet's on dates?"
Steve chuckled, "Since you're my first I can't be sure, but I think I only take out the cute ones."
Tony leaned back with a satisfied smirk and a playfully lifted eyebrow, "I'm 'your first' huh?"
Steve blushed, "I didn't mean it like that- I-"
He stopped his apology when Tony laughed. God, his laugh sounded like heaven.
"I know you didn't mean it like that," Tony said with a smile. "Don't worry about it big guy."
Steve smiled back. They continued discussing this and that. Tony asked how Bucky was doing. Steve had left him at a friends house for the night since his pup was too young to be alone for a longer time. He told Tony that his recent problem wasn't to get Bucky to eat, but rather to stop him from chewing at anything and everything, to which tony only laughed.
Tony seemed to be very smart. Even if he worked as a veterinarian he worked on robots in his free time. Tony told Steve that he became a vet mostly to bug his father who hated animals—which Steve found hilarious and slightly worrying—but he soon fell in love with helping animals. Steve in return told Tony that he'd always loved art but never expected to be able to have it as his job. Now he could work on his art full time, though income was sometimes tight. He was doing what he loved though, so it was fine.
After dinner they ordered dessert. Steve ordered a cinnamon pie while Tony chose chocolate mousse. While waiting for their treats Steve watched Tony who was looking out of the window. His dark hair shone in the subdued light almost like a halo. Tony had unbuttoned the highest buttons on his shirt during the meal, and Steve could see the beginning of his left collarbone. He never thought the sight of someone's collarbone could be so attractive, but here he was.
Steve looked down seeing Tony's right hand playing with the foot of his wine glass while his left rested on the table. Steve sucked in a breath before sliding his hand over the table, slowly taking Tony's free hand in his own.
Tony looked away from the window at the warm feeling and smiled brightly back at Steve. Steve took it as an invitation to gently stroke his thumb against the back of Tony's hand. He thought he saw Tony shiver slightly, but he couldn't be too sure.
They sat, their hands gently stroking or holding each other, while silently looking into each other's eyes. Neither wanting to break the moment by saying anything. Steve noticed how when the light his Tony's eyes just right they almost looked golden.
Though, sooner or later all moments come to an end. This one did so by the waiter handing them their desserts. Steve gave Tony's hand one last squeeze before letting go and smiling up at the waiter.
"Hope it tastes good," the waiter said before leaving them alone.
Tony immediately dug into his mousse and moan practically sinfully at the taste.
"Oh my god! This tastes to god," Tony continued taking another bite, humming happily.
Steve smiled and took a bite of his cinnamon pie. He'd had it a few times before so the taste was no surprise, but still delicious.
"I'm glad you liked it," Steve said as he watched Tony almost inhale his third bite of the mousse.
"It's amazing. Like a dessert from above," he said. "Do you want to taste it?"
Steve had eaten the chocolate mousse before, but he preferred pies most often. The crunchy texture of the shell combined with the soft filling always amazed him. But he couldn't resist Tony's offer to take a bite.
"Sure," Steve said, reaching over with his fork to take a small bite of the mousse.
Tony acted faster than Steve thought and swooped up a spoonful of mousse onto his own spoon and held it out before Steve's mouth. Taken by surprise Steve opened his mouth so Tony could feed him the spoonful.
Steve swirled the rich chocolate flavour around in his mouth. It was better than he remembered. Or maybe it was just Tony feeding him that made it taste so exquisite. Tony smiled at him happily before taking another bite for himself. And Steve's brian sort of shortcut for a second. He was eating chocolate mousse from the spoon that Tony ate with and now Tony was eating from the spoon Steve had just had in his mouth. It was so domestic—and this was only their first date.
Steve blushed and cleared his throat, looking for something to say. Tony beat him to it though.
"So… Are you gonna offer me a taste of yours, or do I have to beg?" Tony said with a wink, making the question seem so much dirtier than it really was.
"Oh, erm- Sure," Steve stumbled over his words as Tony sinfully licked some whipped cream off his lower lip.
Steve reached down taking a generous amount of cinnamon pie onto his fork before reaching it out for Tony. Without hesitation, Tony leaned forward taking the bite. He let out a long hum as he chewed on the bite.
"It's good, but I think I'll stick to my chocolate," Tony said.
Steve chuckled softly before taking another bite for himself, trying to calm his racing heart. There was something about Tony that felt so... Exiting. Everything he did and said was interesting, fun or flirty. He joked around a lot, but also seemed to have this more serious and grounded side that Steve caught glimpses of between his cracks. He was a lot more outgoing and impulsive than Steve, but that was kind of nice. He felt like Tony balanced him well so far. And his easy demeanour made the conversation flow. Even if Steve sometimes stumbled over his words, that didn't matter. He found himself talking, laughing and interacting a lot more than he usually did with most people he just met.
"You seem like such a great person Tony," Steve said, almost dreamily.
"I hope you don't mean that in a 'You seem like a great person but not for me' kind of way," Tony said jokingly. Though there was a hint of seriousness behind it. That sharp calculating glint in his eye trying to read Steve. There were those cracks Steve had just thought about.
"No," Steve reassured Tony with a soft smile. "I meant it in an 'I don't think I've ever had a first date as good as this one before' kind of way."
Tony's face lit up with a wonderful smile.
"I don't think I've ever had a better first date either," he said, almost looking shy for a second.
Steve wanted to reach out and take his hand again, but he didn't want to overdo it.
"So… Does that mean a second date is on the table," Tony asked with his old confidence back.
"If you're up to it, I'd love that," Steve answered sincerely.
"I'm more than up to it," Tony said, taking the last bite of his mousse with another satisfied hum.
Steve smiled back, feeling a soft feeling spread inside his chest.
Once they parted for the evening Steve couldn't help but walk home with a new spring in his steps. His mind filled with the memory of a rich chocolate taste, the warmth of Tony's hand and a promise of more dates to come. Not even the cold temperature could lessen the warmth he was feeling inside.
Authors note:
Cross posted on AO3. Please leave reviews!