Steve has to admit, that he is actually surprised, once Tony decides what he wants to do for his birthday. To make the older man feel more at ease after his mini-meltdown that morning, Steve had told him that they could spend his birthday doing whatever Tony wanted, even if was something Steve didn't normally enjoy. After a pregnant pause, in which Steve could actually see the genius's mind whirring, Tony perks up with an idea.

"Go get dressed!" He yells, even though Steve is still right in front of him. "Something casual. You know, like those jeans that make your ass look so sexy," he continues, making Steve redden at the thought. "And a flannel shirt, or something!"

"May I ask why?" Steve inquires, grinning at the excited look on Tony's face.

"Nope. No questions," Tony states matter-of-factly.

"But, Tony," Steve starts skeptically, before being silenced.

"No. Hush. Just do it," the other man insists emphatically, before pressing a quick kiss to his soldier's lips, and running upstairs, yelling back "My birthday! My rules! 15 minutes!"

Steve takes this as his cue to get a move on, and thirty minutes later the two men are on their way, in a pick-up truck Steve didn't even know Tony owned.

When Steve had asked about it, Tony had just muttered something about "blending in a little better," as he tugged on an old Aerosmith shirt over his long-sleeved shirt. He had also handed Steve a pair of aviator-style sunglasses, before putting on his own Ray Bans.

Steve is currently listening to Tony singing at the top of his lungs to an old rock song Steve is sure he's heard before, but still can't quite place, when he notices they're leaving the city, and heading down to New Jersey.

"Tony, why are we going to New Jersey? Don't you hate New Jersey?"

"No!" Tony exclaims "What gave you that idea?"

"Oh, I don't know," Steve starts to tease, "Maybe the fact that you have, on more than a few occasions, mentioned that 'real New Yorkers don't go to Jersey.'"

"Oh, yeah. Well I mean today we kind of have to. And hush. It's my birthday, I can have anything I want," he argues with a wink, making Steve laugh, and lean over to kiss his cheek.

"So when do I get to know where it is we're going?" Steve asked, "I mean, it's your birthday, shouldn't I be the one surprising you?"

"Oh just wait. Sit back and relax, you'll be okay," Tony laughs lightly, "We're almost there anyway."

And Tony's right. A few minutes later they pull up to what looks like some kind of family fun park, a few brightly colored buildings, mini-golf, and a few areas that seem to contain mini cars, which Steve has never seen before.

"You want to come here?" Steve asks, quite surprised as he turns to face Tony. "Why?"

"Yeah," Tony admits, looking a little embarrassed. "I thought it sounded fun," he adds sheepishly.

Realizing he may have hurt his birthday boy's feelings, Steve leans over and gives him a quick kiss.

"It does sound fun," Steve pauses. "I haven't been anywhere like this since I was a kid, and it wasn't as neat as this looks. I'm just surprised, is all. It doesn't seem like your usual kind of thing."

Tony is silent for a moment, in which he carefully roles his sleeves up to his elbows, pushes his sunglasses on top of his head, and checks his reflection in the mirror, before speaking his thoughts.

"I know Howard was kind of a friend to you," Tony begins reluctantly, "but I'm sure by now you've gathered that he wasn't the best dad to me. I found out later that he had called me his 'greatest creation,' but he sure did have an odd way of showing it. He wasn't around often, and never made time for me. I'm still surprised he said it, to be honest, because growing up I'd always gotten the impression that had been you," he said, motioning at Steve to let him finish. "Now, I bare no resentment now about that, and you're probably the most important thing in my life."

Steve gets the same feeling he'd had in the workshop earlier, but stronger, because of these words. He felt a constricting in his throat, a harder beating in his chest, and a twisty flop in his stomach.

"I'm getting off track, though," Tony continues. "The point is, my old man was a drunk when he was around, and I barely knew him. My mother tried, but she wasn't 'World's Best Mom' mug material, either. So yeah, I had birthday parties, but they were awful. They were just like the parties I have to attend now, nothing fit for a child-" at this Steve fleetingly wonders if that's why Tony's drinking problem started so early, but he dismisses the thought for the time being- "What I'm trying to say is," Tony says, as he scratches at the back of his neck, "that I have you now. You're my person. So it's my birthday, and this year we're going to have fun, even if it means acting like the child I never got to be."

Tony looks lighter now, and Steve can't help but smile at that last part. He remains silent for a moment, just observing Tony's expressions, before hopping out of the truck and walking around to Tony's side. He gently tugs the troubled man out of the front seat, and wraps his arms around his waist, allowing his hands to slip into Tony's back pockets.

"Then we'll have a great time," Steve whispers in Tony's ear, before pulling back just a little. "But I do have to ask, are you worried about us being seen? Like this?" He motions between the two of them. "We're in a very public place, we'll definitely be recognized. I mean, it's just that we haven't really talked about it before. Even at home, the others just kind of see us together."

"I don't know that I'll ever be ready," Tony says, "But I do know that I won't miss out on living my life because of what other people might think. You're in my life now, there's no way I'm going to hide that." He stops for a moment, and Steve see him analyzing his reactions carefully. "I mean, as long as that's okay with you," Tony adds, blushing. "Um, if you want us to be public. If we are an us? I mean, you'll be my boyfriend, right?"

Steve can't help but have the biggest grin on his face; it's not often he gets to see Tony flustered, and he's also just heard what he's been hoping for. So yes, he is positively beaming.

"Yes, Tony, I will be your boyfriend," Steve emphasizes, pressing his lips gently to the shorter man's, as Tony pulls him in closer. "And I'm damn proud of it."

Steve, still smiling, pulls back from Tony, and laces their hands together, rubbing his thumb across the back of Tony's hand. The inventor begins to laugh, and Steve then decides they've had more than enough seriousness, and that it's time they go inside and have some fun.

A/N: I have the next chapter all written out, I just have to type it. I wrote this chapter and the next while babysitting, or I would've had them typed to start with. So expect it tomorrow, sometime.

Let me know what you think! If you have any suggestions, or anything you'd like to see, let me know.

Also, my playlist while writing this story has been:

"Echo" by Jason Walker

"Iris" covered by Sleeping with Sirens

"James Dean & Audrey Hepburn (acoustic)" by Sleeping with Sirens

"A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri

It's where I get inspiration, chapter titles, etc.