The next day, Tony found himself looking forward to seeing Steve. He passes him in the hallway once and they smiled at each other and Tony feels giddy at the idea of getting to sit next to him at lunch. He doesn't know why though because yeah, he wants a new friend, but to get this excited? That has to be a little weird.

He practically sprints to the cafeteria when the lunch bell rings.

"Hi." He tells him.

"You're sitting with me."

"Yep."

Steve raises his eyebrows. "Are you gonna move to sit with the rest of your popular friends again?"

"Nope, this time I'm committing."

"Hey! Tony! Are you coming?" Clint asks him, coming to stand by him.

He took a deep breath. "Nope."

"Seriously? I feel like we just did this."

"We did, but I'm staying here this time."

"Suit yourself." He shrugs and moves on, leaving Tony with a smile on his face.

On the way home from school, Tony finally tells Pepper about his change in plans for that weekend.

"You're cancelling?"

"You were the one who told me to stop letting Clint use me!" He defends.

"This doesn't relate to Clint at all."

"I'm making new friends, so I don't have to spend most of my time talking to Clint or any of our other friends that you don't like. If I go to this movie with Steve, then that's less time I spend elsewhere."

"Your logic is flimsy." She pouts, but he can see the small smile on her face that lets him know she isn't really mad.

"Sorry."

She sighs. "Go have fun."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

He blows her a kiss. "You're my favorite human being ever."

"Don't forget it."

He gets to the movie about thirty minutes early. He can't help it, he's excited. He puts his car in the best place and waits for Steve to get there.

"Hi." He says, seeing the blond boy approaching.

"Hi."

"Are you excited?" His leg jitters from nerves, but he doesn't think Steve can see it and he definitely won't be telling him.

"A little, yeah. I've never seen Starwars."

"What? You've never seen Starwars before?"

"Yeah, and I haven't seen any of the previous ones either. Is that going to matter?"

"Previous ones?"

"Yeah, this is part four isn't it?"

"Oh, the first one is part four."

"That makes no sense."

"I know. I'm thinking of telling my dad to bring it up to George Lucas next time they see each other." Steve gives him a wide-eyed look and Tony laughs. "I'm kidding."

"Oh. That's funny." He chuckles a little before moving to sit on the trunk of the car next to Tony. "Oh, we got a good spot."

They talked for a little bit longer until the movie started. Tony probably watched Steve more than he watched the actual movie because he's seen it so many times and the other boy's facial expressions were amusing. His eyebrows would shoot up at the shocking parts and when he laughed his nose would scrunch up.

"So? What did you think?" He asked when the movie was over.

Steve crossed his arms and faked nonchalance saying, "It lacked depth and complexity."

"Come on."

"I thought it was pretty good, I can see why you like it." He said with a small smile, avoiding his eyes.

"Yes! I converted him to a sci-fi lover!" Tony threw his arms up and yelled, catching the attention of everyone around them.

"Hey, I wouldn't go that far."

They hop off the trunk and prepare to leave. "Are you walking home?"

"Yeah."

"I had fun tonight." Tony tells him, avoiding his eyes.

"Me too."

Tony looks up at him and into his eyes and it's at that point that he realizes what all of this is. This isn't him being weird and wanting to be friends with someone random. He likes him. Like, as more than friends. And he knows he shouldn't but in the heat of the moment he just can't help himself because Steve just looks so pretty with the moonlight reflecting off his blond hair and the smile on his face from their banter that he just throws all caution to the wind and leans in and kisses him right on the mouth.

"Tony, I-" Steve starts, shocked, but Tony cuts him off.

"Bye!" He hops into his car and pulls out, ignoring Steve standing there gaping like a fish.

As soon as he gets home, he immediately rushes up to his room. He picks up the phone to call Pepper, but momentarily hesitates. Does he honestly want to admit this to her?

Though, he has known her forever and if he can't trust Pepper, then he can't trust anybody. He decides to dial her phone number on impulse. She picks up on the third ring.

"Pepper, best friend emergency."

"I'll be right over." She says without missing a beat.

Approximately a minute later, she is climbing in through the window in his room.

"That was quick."

"What is it?" She asks, getting right to the point.

"Sit." She sits on the bed across from him. He taps his foot nervously as she stares at him. "So, you'll love me no matter what, right?"

"You're scaring me."

"Sorry! I'm nervous!" He protests.

"Why?"

He looks into her eyes and almost throws up all over her. "You know what, forget it. It's not that bad."

"Tony Stark." She stares him down, before putting a comforting and encouraging hand on his shoulder.

He takes a deep breath. "I like Steve. As like… more than friends."

She cocks her head, confused. "But he's a boy."

"Yes." He tells her simply.

"And you're a boy."

He chuckles nervously. "As far as I know."

"So, you're… gay?"

"I guess?" He stutters, avoiding eye contact.

"Damn." She sighs. "Does he like you back?"

"I don't know."

"Does he know you like him?"

He frowns. "Yes. I kind of kissed him after our movie."

"Holy shit." She says.

"I know."

"That sucks because he's really cute." She pouts.
"Yeah, I know. That's kind of what got us into this mess in the first place." They both laugh.

"How do I face him after this?"

She grimaces. "Sorry, Tony. I really don't know."

She gives him a hug before climbing back out the window, leaving Tony alone with his thoughts. He thinks about how he is supposed to talk to Steve or even see him without wanting to both throw up out of nerves and kiss him again. He figures he can probably talk to him at lunch or at work.
That Monday, he doesn't see Steve. He isn't at lunch, or by his locker, or in the library. He picks at his food dejectedly at lunch as the rest of his friends chatter on next to him oblivious. Pepper shoots him pitiful looks.

At work that night, Steve doesn't come back either. Tony isn't surprised. After the day he's had, he's honestly a little glad. He's too tired to sort out all of his feelings. Despite the fact that he's used to staying up late to work on papers or projects, it's nothing like his frequent late nights here at the diner. He has fallen asleep more times than he can count in the last month. He doesn't think he'll be able to process his emotions or complete a coherent sentence if Steve were to show up.

The next night, however, Steve does visit him.

When the bell above the door rang, Tony's heart stops. He is half tempted to not look up, but his curiosity gets the better of him and his dark brown eyes meet Steve's icy blue ones.

"Hi." Steve says, not moving from the doorway.

"Hi."

They stand in tense silence for a good thirty seconds before Steve addresses the elephant in the room. "Listen, about the other night-"

Tony cuts him off to quickly explain himself, "You don't have to explain it to me, I totally understand. I was way out of line and we can totally forget it ever happened."

"Okay, we could, but…" He trails off and looks everywhere but his eyes.

Tony tries to not get too hopeful. "There's a but?"

"We could also do it again."

Tony's eyebrows raise. "You want to do it again?"

"I mean, yeah. If you want."

"Well, yeah!" His mind flashes to Clint's irrational judgement of Steve and his dad's almost approving look when he talks about Pepper. "But what will people think?"

"Do you care what people think?" Tony doesn't meet his eyes and Steve's face falls. "Why?"

"My father cares a lot about public image."

He rolls his eyes bitterly. "Of course."

"I don't know what to do." He says quietly.

Steve walks towards Tony and sits at the bar stool. "We can figure it out as we go."

"You still want something to happen between us? Even though I'm being kind of a jerk?" Tony asks him hesitantly.

"Yes."

"Okay." He nods.

"Okay."

"I'm supposed to invite you to the football game this Friday. Pepper wants to meet you."

"That's not terrifying at all. Should I be nervous?" He smiles good naturedly and Tony's face softens.

"Oh definitely. She scares me and I've known her since we were toddlers."