Tony hated being summoned almost as much as he hated being handed things. But he knew Pepper would just hunt him down in his lab if he didn't answer her, so here he was at her desk. Er, on her desk. She had one of those stupid ball devices that smacked at each end. He followed it with his eyes, scowling at it for simply existing. He hated those things but he loved destroying them.
Tony reached out, ready to snap one of the ends off, when the door opened. Pepper came inside, all smiles and sugar to the woman following her.
"If you'll excuse me..." so polite, so nice, so fake.
As soon as the soundproof door was shut, her fire blazed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Tony glanced at her, "What do you mean? I do lots of things."
"You know perfectly well what I mean" her stride was long and powerful "I demand to know what you're doing to him."
"I'm not doing anything to him!" Tony defended.
Pepper came up beside him, arms crossed over her chest, "But I know what you want to do to him."
The genius relented, "You have no idea."
"Oh, I think I do" she hopped up on the desk beside him "He's handsome, isn't he?"
Tony twisted one of the strings, dangling the stone in the air, "More than."
"Handsome enough to tempt you" Pepper huffed, making her bangs dance across her forehead "Does he know how you feel?"
His laugh was bitter, "What do you think?"
"I approve."
Tony looked up, "What?"
"I approve of you two" Pepper raised her hand, resting it on the man's forearm "I think you'd be great together. He's good for you. He makes you smile."
"Lots of things make me smile" Tony grinned, but she grabbed his jaw and squished his face "Ow, ow, Pep, face, merchandise."
"Listen up, bub-"
"-you break it, you buy it-"
"I'm serious" Pepper made him keep her eyes, her gaze intense "Don't break his heart. I don't care how good of a leader he is, how heroic, or how strong. No one who smiles and blushes like that is hard on the inside. He's a sweet man, and he likes you. If you're just playing with him-"
"I'm not" Tony's voice was still garbled by her hold, but he was sincere.
"-then prove it" Pepper let go, flicking his nose "You're both stupid and deserve each other. And from what I've seen, he can take much better care of you than I ever could."
"That hurt" Tony rubbed his jaw "I think you bruised me."
"Get off my desk" her tone was still tender "I don't have time for your love life, Mr. Stark."
Tony hopped off the desk, still working his jaw, "I date whores, you get mad. I date no one, you get worried. I show a small interest-"
"I think you mean: Fall hopelessly in love."
"-with one super soldier, and suddenly I'm not worth your time" Tony feigned hurt "I'm wounded. I'm bleeding. You do this to me."
"I'm sorry, let me make it up to you" Pepper pulled out a sticky note from her pile of papers, waving it in the air "How about a gala?"
"No!" he pointed "No, no, no, Pep, no! You promised me no more galas this year."
"Oh come on, Tony" Pepper whined "It's a great charity-"
"-is there ever a bad one?"
"-and it's great PR."
Tony groaned, throwing his head back and leaning before straightening up, "Which charity is it?"
"Does it really matter?" Pepper drawled "You're going. Happy has the address, he'll be waiting to leave at eight thirty - sharp."
"Fine" Tony snapped, then paused "But...I'm only going if Steve agrees to be my date."
Pepper's eyes lit up, "Perfect."
Tony hissed, rubbing his hand over his eyes, "I walked right into to that one."
"Yeah, you kinda did" Pepper eased off the desk, checking her watch "You have six hours to get ready. I suggest getting a move on. You have to convince Steve to go, get yourself ready, and-"
"A suit" Tony perked up, a grin slowly curling his lips "I get to force Steve into a suit. Pep, you're a genius."
She laughed, "I know."
"Not as much as me, obviously, but-"
"Just go while you're ahead."
Tony was already out the door.
xXxXx
Steve was barely dressed when Tony barged into his room. The soldier was freshly showered, he'd been walking around in his boxers just minutes before. He snatched his shirt off the table and covered himself, willing the red from his cheeks. He could feel the inventor's eyes burning into him, and if the man saw him blushing again, he'd surely have something smart to say.
"Yes, Tony?" Steve turned around, catching the way the other man's eyes lingered on his damp chest and the way his white shirt clung to it "Is there something I can-?"
"Get undressed" Tony demanded.
Steve gaped, "What? Tony...that's...that's inappropriate."
The brunette blinked himself out of his stupor, plastering on a grin, "In a stall. You were going to ask me if there's something you can do for me, and that's it. I want you to come with me, get undressed in stall, put on a suit, and come with me."
Steve was already digging into his sock drawer, his mind not quite keeping up, "Where?"
"To the prince's ball, where he'll pick the fairest of them all and we'll all live happily ever after" Tony snarked "Where do you think? You're coming with me to a charity party thing, it's called a gala now. It's for a good cause and you're going."
Steve sat down his bed, slowly pulling on the socks, "I don't think that's a good idea. I'm not good at parties. I'm not very social outside the military."
"Nonsense" Tony waved his hand "I'm social enough for three people, or so I've been told. I'll do all the talking and you can keep me company."
"I'll be going as...?" Steve let the question hang, he pulled his shoes out from under the bed.
"Not Captain America" the inventor assured him "I don't think the world's quite ready for that."
The blonde tugged on his shoes, "And I'll be your-?"
"Steve" Tony was as truthful as he could be "Pepper will be there earlier than us, she's relying on you to get me there. We need to make an entrance, considering it's my money and all. Now come on, Nanny, shouldn't you be the one hurrying me up?"
Steve hurried, taking the man's arm, "Then let's go. What time is it?"
"Doesn't matter" Tony pulled the blonde down the hall, biting back a devious smirk "But first we need to get you a suit."
Steve dug his heels in, "Wait, what?"
"None of that" Tony dislodged his stance, getting him to move "Your dress blues – okay, green/brown things, whatever – are fine and all, but this is a suit thing. We're going to stop by my tailor and get you to shine."
"I can't let you buy me a suit" the soldier tried to protest, but he was manhandled into the elevator "It's too expensive. Let me just wear what I have, or I could just stay in the limo?"
"And keep all this from the crowd?" Tony gestured at the man "Come on, Nanny, where's your since of adventure?"
"Okay, that's it" Steve put his finger in the genius's face "You call me 'Nanny' one more time, and I'll bop you."
"Oh, now you know what 'bop' is?"
They both broke into laughter, shoving at one another until the doors opened.
"It's not a big deal" Tony led them out "I have plenty of money. It's not going to kill me to get you a suit. I already ordered you a whole new wardrobe, I just haven't told you yet."
"What?" Steve was pulled through the door to the outside, overwhelmed.
"Because this is how I knew you'd react!" Tony linked their arms, keeping them towards the short limo "Now, are you going to get in this car, or are you going to call Pepper and tell her that I couldn't make this super important charity just because you're afraid to squeeze into a suit?"
Steve pulled a face, "No...no, I guess not."
"What's wrong?" Tony stopped, looking up into worried blue eyes "The thought of accompanying me to one party is that horrifying? I'm not going to make you go."
Steve crumbled, "No, it's fine. Of course I'll go. It sounds...fun. It'll be fun, right?"
"I'll be there" Tony gave a nod to Happy, opening his own door and gesturing Steve inside "I'll make it fun."
Steve eased into the car, sliding to the other side so his friend could sit too. Tony hopped in and slammed the door, locking it.
"Onward!"
Happy scoffed but complied, and in an instant they were tearing out of the drive.
Tony put his arm along the back of the seat, leaning into the captain, "By the way, a little detail I forgot to mention – you're my date."
"WHAT?"
xXxXx
Tony sat in a plush chair beside the raised stand that held his super soldier, fingers to his mouth. Maybe he shouldn't have chosen a tailor so handsome. He'd meant to give Steve a sense of ease, choosing one of his personal suit fitters instead of anyone in the store. But the blonde looked more nervous than ever, standing stiffly and letting the man take his size.
Tony's fingers tapped against his knee in a heavy rhythm, practically eating his lip. His nerves were getting the best of him, something he usually tried to avoid. Steve hadn't reacted as well as he'd wanted him to. It had taken the whole car ride here to calm him down, and even then it took an extra half an hour to convince him to even get measurements.
Thankfully he'd called as soon as he'd known about the gala, giving his tailor some time to pre-prepare for a very broad shouldered man with a trim waist.
"Steve?" Tony called "Would you rather I get a female tailor?"
His tailor, Raj, looked put off by this.
"No, it's fine" the blonde replied, looking down at the man kneeling next to him "You're doing wonderful. I know I'm a little large."
Damn the soldier's charm, Raj was easily swayed back into his good graces.
Jealousy sizzled through Tony's veins, he hated the way Raj got to touch his soldier. He wasn't sure when he started to think of Steve as his, but he sure as hell loved the way it sounded.
"All done" Raj stood up, urging the blonde down the runway "Come, come. I have the perfect thing."
Tony dropped his head into his hands, groaning in frustration. He peeked down at his street clothes, then covered his eyes again. This was going to be a disaster. Steve was uncomfortable, he felt like an ass, and he hadn't brought anything with him. This place was nice enough, but he'd hoped to find something form fitting to impress the soldier.
"Not that he'd care right now anyway" Tony sat back, kicking out his feet.
"Mr. Stark?"
"Hn?" he didn't raise his head, he could feel a headache coming on. There was a long silence, Tony could feel the first bass rift of his favorite Black Sabbath song starting in his temple.
"Tony?" this voice was softer, closer. He lifted his head, looking up and putting on a smile. He was instantly floored, hands dropping heavily onto the chair.
Steve was born to wear a suit. His long form was fitted into a simple black suit. It hugged his waist perfectly, not a single pattern there to distort his impressive frame. The plain black actually made him...smaller, less intimidating. It was like a glamour. Beneath was a crisp white shirt, a ebony silk tie knotted at his throat. He looked nervous, his ruddy cheeks dimpled in an anxious smile. He held out his arms, giving a slow spin.
"What do you think?" Steve inquired, walking the rest of the catwalk to stop in front of the mirrors. He adjusted his tie, straightening the jacket a bit. He looked back to the inventor, finding that same strange look on his face.
"Not good?" his voice broke, he felt like an exposed nerve "This was the best they had in my size.
There's always my dress blues at home, Tony, we don't have to settle on this."
Tony got up without a word, climbing up onto the platform. He circled the blonde, brain on overdrive as he memorized the soldier. He stopped in front of him, looking him right in the eye.
"Tony?" Steve tried again "What's wrong?"
"You look dazzling" Tony replied honestly, reaching up and tugging off the tie "Lose this."
Steve's lashes fluttered at the feel of the silk whipping off his neck, but his gasp was from warm fingers working open the top buttons of his shirt. The first three were forced open, a calloused palm sliding inside the folds and forcing them apart. He unbuttoned the suit jacket, revealing the black vest that was almost melted against his firm stomach.
"Perfect" Tony stepped back, gesturing at the man's body with just his fingers "I want you like this. Everyone there will want you."
"Again, inappropriate" Steve scolded.
Tony shooed him back to the dressing room, "Go take it off. I'm sure Raj wants to alter those pants. I'll go tell him and get myself something."
Steve nodded, eating up the distance with long strides. He hid his smile, shutting the door behind him.
Tony's smile was even broader, thoroughly pleased with himself. He couldn't wait for their little date, his belly was tight with excitement. He hopped off the stage, calling Raj over with a curl of his fingers.
"Would you like me to fetch your suit, sir?" Raj inquired eagerly.
"What?"
"You left a suit with me last time and no one's come to retrieve it" Raj assured him "It's in the back. It's very fine suit, sir, just as fine as Mr. Rogers."
Tony put his tongue in his cheek, "What color?"
"A rich purple."
"Nice" Tony nodded his approval "Yeah, go get it. And get ready to alter pretty boy's pants, will ya?"
"Yes, sir."
As Raj disappeared, there was a smack from the dressing room. Tony raised an eyebrow, grinning when he heard a muttered curse.
"Language, captain."
There was a pause, "Tony? Can you come in here?
Steve sounded too pathetic to refuse. That and the promise of seeing him naked got Tony there twice as fast. He closed the door behind him, leaning on it heavily. This was the second time Steve had floored him, and he was sure it wouldn't be the last.
Steve had shed his jacket and vest, his white shirt unbuttoned down the front and revealing the tan skin of his abs and chest. It was beautiful, to say the least. He wet his lips hungrily, drinking in every detail. This was much better than a suit. Steve was definitely blushing now, the flush creeping all the way up into his hairline.
"Can you help me with the zipper?" Steve bit the side of his lip, moving his hands to show the stuck device "It's stuck, and I'm going to rip it if I try to move it."
Tony sent up a little prayer, there was no way he could pass this up.
"Move" Tony pushed him against the wall, crowding into his space "Is it stuck right here?"
"Y-Yeah" Steve breathed in the scent of the inventor, his cologne intoxicating. He could feel Tony's fingers fumbling with the zipper, grabbing at the material around it as if to try and dislodge it. He felt the inventor's hand brush against his cock, giving it a jolt of life. He surged against the wall, eyes wide.
"Be careful!"
"I can't seem to get it" Tony made a face "Here, give me a sec."
Steve covered his mouth with his hand, swallowing down his groan as the genius dropped to his knees in front of him. Every fantasy he'd ever had about Tony taking him in his mouth came to the forefront of his mind. His cock hardened in his dress pants, straining for the brunette's mouth of it's own volition.
"You know, I always have the hottest dates" Steve had no idea how Tony was talking, he could barely breathe "But I don't think I'll be able to top you. I guess you'll have to be my date from now on."
"Tony" the soldier tried to strengthen the tone, but it came out more as a low whine than anything else "Just fix the zipper. Please."
Tony dislodged the material, standing up and getting an inch from the man's face, "You look distressed. Can I help?"
"You've never wanted to help someone a day in your life" Steve teased, trying to lighten the tension in the stall.
"I can help with this" Tony's fingers danced across the blonde's pants line. He pressed fully against the soldier, brushing his nose against the strong jaw. Steve whispered something that sounded like the genius's name, but he couldn't be sure. Tony sighed against the sensitive neck, restraining from kissing the golden flesh.
"You're going to knock 'em dead" Tony hummed "Now take off your pants."
Before Steve could gather enough blood to his brain to reply, the inventor was gone.
xXxXx
"Tony" Steve grabbed the man's hand.
Tony paused. They were about to go outside the limo, up the steps, and into the...was it an art gallery? Not, it was a party room. Real nice, real swanky, just like that charity ball all that time ago with Pepper in that beautiful backless dress.
"Yeah?"
"Are you sure it's okay for me to be your date?" Steve's voice was shaking "I've seen on the television that's it's more acceptable now, but back in the day you couldn't even touch a fella without giving the wrong impression. Won't they, I don't know...think bad of you? Won't they think we're strange?"
"Spangles, what have I told you?" Tony leaned in, patting the soldier's cheek "Just follow my lead and nothing bad will happen."
Steve smiled and nodded, "I trust you."
"I know" Tony grabbed his hand "Now come on. Once they get a look at that mug of yours – they won't care about anything else but getting your picture."
With a great breath, Steve let himself be lead out of the car. It was bright, that was for sure. Even in early night, the camera flashes were blinding. There was a red carpet up to the door and everything. He'd never been to something so ritzy, at least not at this standard.
"Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark!"
Tony waved, but didn't make a move to do any interviews. A leggy blonde ran up to him, a high tech recorder in her hand. She seemed overly familiar with the billionaire, her eyes gleaming with a lust for power. Steve felt the urge to get in front of Tony, protect him, but the inventor had this handled.
"Tony" she purred "It's great to see you again."
"Great to see you too...uh..." Tony snapped his fingers a few times "You. Now if you'll excuse us..."
"Who's this handsome gentleman you're with?" she wouldn't be deterred, moving in front of him when he tried to dodge "A name, that's all I need."
"He's my date" Tony waggled his eyebrows at her, skirting around her "Pretty, huh?"
Steve followed, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out at her.
Steve spent the next hour following Tony around. He was a little slack-jawed at the splendor of the place. Between the tables of food and the elegantly dressed people, he felt out of place. Everyone knew each other, mingling like water amongst one another. Tony talked a little to everyone, mostly asking if they were having a good time and keeping drinks in their hands. It was unlike the Tony he knew. He was actually doing what he was supposed to, but one look across the room told him all he needed to know.
There was a Pepper in a dress as brilliant as live flame, glaring daggers at the billionaire.
"Don't overdue it" Steve whispered in his friend's ear "You'll come off as insincere."
"Look who's giving me tips" Tony rolled his eyes "I've got this, Nanny, calm down."
Steve reached up and pinched the billionaire's ear, holding on tight. Tony gasped and leaned down, batting at the blonde's hand.
"Stop! Stop!" Tony couldn't get the man to loosen "Okay, I give, I'm sorry. No more calling you 'Nanny', I promise."
"Thank you" Steve smiled proudly, releasing the man.
"You people..." he rubbed at his ear "Between you and Pepper, people are going to think we're having a domestic."
"Who could have possibly trained you, Stark?"
They both turned to face a man in dress blues, a glass of champagne in his hand.
"Rhodey!"
The two shook hands, but it quickly turned into a hug.
"It's been a while" Tony pulled back, extending his arm "Rhodey, this is my new best friend, Steve. He calls, unlike some."
"Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes" Rhodey corrected, holding his hand "A pleasure."
"Captain Steve Rogers" Steve nodded, shaking his hand firmly "Sir."
"A military man boxing your ears?" Rhodey gave a smirk "What is the world coming to, Stark?"
"Oh, you know, the usual inevitable end" Tony shrugged "Nothing new. Captain Rogers has been staying with me for a while. He's on a vacation of sorts. He's like a Pepper who doesn't do paperwork. Only I like spending time with him."
"Sounds like a sweet deal" Rhodey nodded in approval "You get put into place and actually attend your events, and Pepper gets to actually breathe. Nice."
Tony made a face, shaking his head at Steve, "I've never smothered Pepper. Never."
"How about after you came back from Afghanistan?" Rhodey took another drink of champagne, he seemed to be on one too many "You let her run the company for months."
Tony's mirth was gone, "I was busy."
"No, no, I get it" Rhodey gestured at the billionaire "This man is amazing. Let me tell you, if it had been me – I wouldn't have made it. To get captured, beaten – brutal. This son-of-a-bitch-"
"Shut up" Tony insisted, glancing at Steve's shocked face.
"-he fought his way out in nothing but a metal trash can with flamethrowers" Rhodey chuckled, downing the rest of his drink "I have no idea how you do it. I don't know if I could even sleep if I knew I had enough scrap metal in my chest to make a sniper rifle."
"Scrap metal?" Steve turned towards the inventor "Is that why you have the arc reactor? Were you attacked?"
"No, I was born this way" Tony snarked, turning and facing Rhodey "You will walk away right now or I'll have you thrown out on your ass."
Rhodey had the the decency to look ashamed. He nodded and walked away, face red. Tony turned back to his date with a winning smile, taking his arm and leading him towards the bar.
"Tony! You never told me you were hurt horribly" Steve was actually upset "You just said it was an accident. Why didn't you tell me it was a deliberate attack?"
"It doesn't matter" Tony assured him, eyes on the booze.
"Yes it does" Steve broke the grip, turning the inventor around and looking him in the eyes "What did they do to you?"
"It. Doesn't. Matter!" Tony snapped, getting some strange looks from the party-goers.
"Yes. It. Does!" Steve growled back "I'm tired of you shutting me out."
Tony took a deep breath, touching the blonde's arm, "Can we just calm down for a moment? We're at a party, there are people, and we can't just scream at each other like a deranged couple."
Steve took his own calming breaths, ducking his head and getting back his composure.
"Let's go talk to Pep" Tony insisted "It'll chill us both out."
Steve agreed.
xXx
The gala was in full swing now. The room was packed, the money flowed, and chatter was friendly and insistent. Pepper was tell Steve a story about Tony's binge in Southeast Asia, the one he couldn't remember for anything.
"I swear on my life" Tony held up his hand "I woke up beneath a coffee table with one green sock on and a pair of sunglasses. It wasn't my house, I'd never met those people, and I couldn't find a single stitch of men's clothes in the entire house."
Steve was almost wheezing with laughter, "Where were you?"
"Fifty miles from the house he rented" Pepper laughed behind her hand, touching the blonde's shoulder "And you know what the first thing he said to me was when he managed to find a phone?"
"What?"
"Pepper, where's my pants?" Tony quoted in a whining tone, trailing off in a chuckle. The three shared a laugh about it, Steve mostly in disbelief. Then the band started playing a heavy violin piece, catching the soldier's ear.
"Wow" he smiled, cocking his head "This is nice."
"Good" Tony handed off his champagne to Pepper, holding out his hand for the blonde "Then you and I can dance."
Steve's eyes widened, "Tony, we shouldn't."
"You should" Pepper nudged the soldier into the billionaire's arms "Go dance, it's fun. Trust me."
"Two fellas can't dance" Steve insisted, fighting the insistent billionaire "People will stare."
Tony raised an eyebrow, "If they stare, it will only be because they're jealous."
Steve found himself led by the hand out to the dance floor, brushing past intimate couples to reach the very center. Tony swung the blonde into his arms, putting a hand on his waist while the other threaded with one of Steve's own. The soldier fumbled, nearly falling into him as he tried to get in position.
"Stop that" Tony tisked, holding the blonde still for a moment "Relax."
"I've never danced" Steve tried not to look around, he could feel the stares on him.
"Just relax your body" Tony swayed them gently, pressing them close "You're a little taller, but follow my lead. It's nothing complicated, just keep ahold of my hand and trust me."
Tony led them in a soft dance, smiling when Steve kept his eyes lowered, "Hey, none of that. Didn't you say you trusted me? Hm?"
"Yeah, I trust you" Steve replied, finally raising his head "Okay...this...this isn't so bad."
"There you go" Tony raised their hands a little "And, spin."
They spun slowly, the blonde never once loosing his footing.
"Very good, I'm proud" their faces were close, their breath sweet with champagne "Who knows, Spangles, maybe one day you'll lead me in a dance."
"Maybe" Steve took in a shaky breath "I have this feeling these people are talking about us."
"People do little else, trust me."
Steve looked down at his feet, afraid to stomp all over his friend's shoes.
"What are you doing? Stop that" Tony pulled him closer, their cheeks sliding against one another "Keep your eyes on me. Don't look away."
Without that smoldering gaze on him, Steve found the courage to whisper back, "Never."
They kept at it through the rest of the song, Tony giving him points the whole time. Steve was a fast learner and this wasn't a hard skill, so by the time the next song came on he felt confident.
"Your turn" Tony switched their hands "Lead me now."
"Uh-"
"Just do it" Tony laced their other hands together now, putting the blonde's spare hand on his waist. The dance flowed smooth after a few moments, their feet keep their distance.
"Perfect" Tony praised "You're a natural."
"I know" Steve replied cockily, this time spinning them. Tony pulled closer, afraid he'd lose his footing this time. But the blonde kept a firm grip on him, he didn't even sway.
"Good boy."
"You know, Tony, I didn't think I'd like it" Steve replied, finally getting over his nerves "But I'm actually having a good time."
"That's what I was aiming for."
They pressed close for a few moments, breathing in the scent of the other without making a show of it. Nothing this perfect could last forever.
A broad hand stroked up from Tony's hip, covering part of his chest.
"There's little bits of metal in there" Steve breathed in a whisper "Isn't there?"
Tony looked away, giving the wall his attention, "Yeah."
"Does it hurt?"
"Every damn day" Tony went to glare, but the look of pure concern crumbled his resolve "It's not just metal in there. It's regret, and death, and the hopes of a very intelligent doctor. His life...it's in there."
Steve's smile was sad. He took Tony's hand off his shoulder and put it over his heart, holding it there firmly.
"I have the same thing...here, in my heart" Steve's voice rasped with emotion, he could still see the man's bloody face in his mind like it had all happened yesterday "An exceptionally kind yet overambitious doctor named Dr. Erskine lost his life in front of me, sheer minutes after I was transformed. The last thing he did was tap me here..."
Tony's hand flexed against the blonde's pec.
"I knew then that he wanted me stay true to my heart" Steve fought back the blush, clearing his throat "I know it sounds silly, but he...he was one of the few people to realize my potential. He's the second man to actually listen to something I said."
Tony knew he'd regret this, "Who was the first?"
"Your father" Steve forgot himself for a minute "You know, I kind of lied about that whole 'never dancing' thing. There was this time in your dad's lab where someone had left the music playing, and he was talking non-stop about some broad he'd taken dancing the night before...he never shut up. He asked about a double date, his friend had a friend...and I blurted out that I had never danced..."
Xxx -Flashback- xxX
Howard pulled away from the microscope, giving him a 'are you kidding me?' look.
"What?" Steve wrinkled up his nose, though he could barely meet the man's eyes "I've never been out with a woman, not really. I've never even kissed one."
"Never even...?" Howard trailed off, rubbing a hand over his eyes. They were alone in the lab, it must have been one or two AM by now. He'd asked the soldier to stay for company, but he had never given a thought to learning this.
"Kid" Howard shed his lab coat, tossing it to the floor "How the hell are you ever gonna impress a woman if you don't even know how to dance?"
"I don't know" Steve whined "Why does it matter?"
"It matters, trust me" the inventor strode over to the record player, finding something a little more jazzy in the pile and putting it on "Stand in the middle of the room."
"What?"
"Just do it" Howard snapped, and the blonde listened. He set the needle perfectly, then turned it up a little. He smiled, perfect.
"Alright" he turned and walked over to the captain "I'm going to teach you a little something. Now I'm only going to say this once, so listen close – I'll...be the girl. Ready?"
"Wait!" Steve was beet red, fluttering his hands in front of him "Howard, we can't! What if someone walks in?"
"Clam up for a minute" Howard scowled, grabbing the blonde's hand and putting it in the dip of his back "Now you need to hold a woman like this. Real close like, they go crazy for it. The other here-" he laced their hands "-and hold loosely, but keep a grip. Got it?"
Steve shook his head 'no'.
"Just move like this" Howard tried once, but met resistance "Now, kid, move."
They tried it a few times, Howard instructing him the whole time. Nothing.
Howard started laughing, tearing himself away from the captain, "No way, no more. Ah, jeez, kid...you crack me up."
Steve's ears were red, "I told you I was bad."
"I'm declaring you unteachable and hopeless" Howard laughed, but stopped when he saw the hurt look cross the soldier's face. He sighed and got close, touching Steve's cheek tenderly before giving it a light pinch.
"In the best way possible" Howard assured him "Don't worry. One day you'll find a dame you're real dizzy for and she'll put you on the dance floor. That's when you need to worry."
Xxx -Flashback- xxX
"I was an utter failure" Steve pulled away, smile fading at the sour look on the inventor's face "Tony? What's wrong?"
Tony pulled away mid-song, "I need a drink."
Steve realized his mistake too late.
"Wait, Tony" Steve went after him, managing to catch his sleeve "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought him up. I didn't mean to, I swear. When I'm nervous I just talk and-"
"Shut up" the command was cold, shocking him to the core. Steve let go of the man's jacket, helpless to do anything but watch the genius had straight for the bar. He started toward him again but thought better of it. Instead he went to find Pepper, she'd know what to do.
And she did. Steve lost himself in conversation with her, letting her use him as an arm to lean on so some of the drunker men would back off. It gave Tony the time he needed to cool off and Steve the time to come up with a perfect apology speech.
"Your dance was very sweet" Pepper led him toward one of the halls away from the party "And don't worry about Tony, he'll eventually get over his daddy issues. With you around, he has to."
"What if I really screwed it up this time?" Steve scratched at the back of his neck "What if he's really mad?"
"Drunk? Yes. Mad? No" Pepper let go of his arm, patting him on the shoulder blade "Now be a love and go fetch Tony for me. He's in one of these rooms. They're used mostly for guests who need a little bit of 'privacy', but I'm sure he's just barricaded the door and is drinking himself to death. Tell him I'm ready to go."
"Will do, Miss. Potts."
"Pepper, please."
Steve flashed her a smile, then went down the hall in search of his friend.
xXx
Steve moved as quietly as could from room to room, easing the doors open to peek inside. Most of the time he didn't see anything, but he made sure to always listen for a minute before he dared look. There were a few couples in compromising positions, but none of them were Tony.
Steve went over his apology in his mind, hoping it wa good enough. He needed to let Tony know that he didn't think of him as a substitute for Howard. The two were separate in his mind, he loved them in completely different ways.
The soldier lost his footing for a moment, bracing his hand on the wall. No, not love. It couldn't be love, there was no way. He'd just met Tony, and after what happened with Howard-
That was it. Steve decided right then and there he was going to tell his friend about what had gone on between him and his father. Maybe it was the best thing for them. Maybe if he told Tony about the confrontation, the missed message, the frustration and regret shared between him and Howard...then maybe then Tony would understand why he kept bringing him up. The man was on his mind, he couldn't stop it. He stayed in a house with 'Stark' plastered all over the place, how could he not?
His search renewed, he pressed his ear to the next door.
"Another drink!"
Yeah, that was Tony.
Steve put on a winning smile and pushed the door open, "Tony, Pepper sent me to get you. Do you need help...?"
The soldier trailed off, mouth going dry at the sight. The curvaceous blonde waitress who had served them champagne earlier, the one Tony hadn't even spared a glance, was there. Her little black dress was laying across the carpet along with an empty bottle of win, leaving her in some very expensive fire red lingerie that hugged her body just right. Blonde curls fell down her back, her hips moving in tandem to some dirty club music pouring from the speakers.
Where was she? On Tony's lap, one of his hands splayed across her tan thigh. The billionaire was busy accepting what was clearly his third or fourth drink from a thin brunette, one who clearly didn't mind if her chest was practically hanging out or not. He gave her a slap on the ass when she turned, then downed most of the drink. The blonde never stopped, tossing her head back and giving a showy moan.
"Tony?" Steve turned his head, resisting the urge to shield his eyes "Miss. Potts wants to leave. She wants you to accompany us home."
"Look who it is, ladies" Tony raised his glass, never once taking his eyes off the lovely woman grinding away on his lap "It's the captain out of time!"
The blonde gave a cry of delighted surprise, her full lipped smile as appealing as it was crimson, "He should join us, Tony...I love blondes."
"Please, he wouldn't know what to do with it" Tony mocked "Isn't that right, Rogers? Never seen a rack in his life."
Tony grabbed her jaw, pulling her down for a heated kiss, "He can't satisfy you like I can, sweetheart."
Steve's jaw clenched, embarrassed and ashamed beyond belief. He'd never spoken to Tony about his innocence but the scientist had always just known, one of those understood things between them. Tony had never taken a shot at his ignorance like this before...he found he didn't like it.
Steve dared to look over, finding the billionaire's glazed gaze on him and him alone. For a moment, Steve was sure it was all going to be okay. Tony would push that girl off his lap, come home with him, and they'd forget all about it. The inventor smiled...a slow, passionless gesture.
"Get out."
Steve's brow knit, he opened his mouth to protest to this sinful behavior and demand the man come back with him.
"Scram, doll" Tony drawled, mocking the soldier's dated speech.
A voice from the past slithered past his ears, Scram, Mandy, I don't have time for ya.
Steve rushed out, never once looking back.
xXx
"Steve?"
The soldier didn't even flinch.
Pepper sighed, sitting back in her seat in defeat. Steve hadn't moved since he'd gotten in the car nor had he spoken. He was just sitting there...hands folded as if in prayer, fingers pressed to his lips. Elbows braced on his knees, eyes set firmly out the window. She had no idea what had happened to him to make him so introvert. He hadn't been gone twenty minutes before he'd raced back to her side, eyes glistening and cheeks ruddy.
He'd only said that Tony would be leaving later, so she'd instructed Happy to return once they were dropped off.
"Steve, please" Pepper pleaded, reaching out and touching his knee "Did Tony say something? You know he can get snippy when he's drunk."
"It's nothing" Steve's voice broke, fingers clenched tightly to keep ahold of himself. His chest ached like he'd been shot and he wasn't exactly sure why. Was it because Tony had made fun of him? Or because of that wench? Or was it that tone, that same nasty tone that Howard had used? That biting, malicious note in his voice...it had sunk into his heart, tearing it up. But why did it hurt so much?
Pepper scooted closer, "You can trust me. If you don't want me to tell him-"
"How spectacularly ignorant am I?" Steve was on the verge of tears, his smile self deprecating "Be honest. How stupid do you all think I am?"
The woman was taken aback, "I've thought you many things, Mr. Rogers, but 'stupid' is definitely not one of them."
The soldier scoffed, "If I told you I'd never been with a woman, would you think differently of me?"
"No" her curls swept by her face as she shook her head "Never."
"What if I told you..." Steve bit down hard on his lip, lowering his head so his knuckles brushed his forehead "I loved someone very dearly. And that person hurt me so deeply..." he heaved in a breath, his lungs shuddered "I'm not sure I can ever trust another human being that completely again."
Pepper moved her hand away, mouth agape, "...did...did Tony...?"
"God, that noise...that voice was made to moan."
"D-Don't use His name like that."
"Shh, pretty boy..."
"No" Steve looked back out the window, thumbing away the tear that had escaped "But he's not helping."
AN: Love your reviews. Special shout out to: la fleur d'or, Shara Raizel, sregnevA , Miss Marion Ette, anglhededhpster, alycat21, Rogue1221, and all my other wonderful readers and reviewers. And thanks to you special people, I now have more ideas for this story.
The story won't rely on it, but if you think something should happen or you have any ideas for flashbacks with Howard, now's the time. The next chapter will be it for the nice!Howard flashbacks, soon you'll see how he screwed up.
Actually, if you have any ideas at all for the story, leave them in your reviews – I'm actually using some of the ones you've already given me.
LOVE YOU!